Together Through All Odds
by Saphizz
Summary: The day started out innocent enough. Finn is over at Rachel's but soon things take a sudden turn for the worst when an unexpected visitor shows up with a gun and a plan for revenge that spins wildly out of control. Finchel. Some fluff, major angst/comfort
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first ever Gleefic so please review and tell me what you think! The characters might be a little OOC but hopefully I'll get better with time. Hope you enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own Glee and never will (try as I might)**

Chapter 1

* * *

"You don't want to do this," Finn managed to stutter, arms squeezing a trembling Rachel. Rachel was curled up in a ball, one arm squeezing her legs closer to her chest and another wrapped tightly around Finn's forearm. Finn could hear her heart pound against his body and just hugged her closer, hoping to ease her fear.

Jacob stood there, silent, unmoving, void of emotion. His gun still lay cocked in his hand.

"P-please," Rachel begged desperately, her deep brown tear filled eyes meeting Jacob's cold, empty, dark ones. He remained indifferent, shrugging off his fellow classmates' pleads. Jacob began to move slowly towards them.

"No" came his harsh reply as he lifted his pistol and aimed at the two terrified students.

* * *

_5 hours earlier_

Rachel had invited Finn over to practice for their big duet they were going to perform at regionals. Looking into the giant mirror she had in her room, Rachel fixed her hair, brushing it vigorously so that it looked perfect for Finn. She began straightening her new blouse when she heard the doorbell ring.

Her dads were out for the entire week on a business trip; they were going to be busy attending meetings and giving speeches the whole time. Rachel had the house all to herself, a miracle in itself since her dads rarely let her stay home alone. They were overly protective…you know the parents who make you wear rape whistles. The kind who make you recite the rules every time before you leave the house: no going to the bathroom alone, always carry around your can of pepper spray, never take candy from a stranger. Yep, those were her dads, but she loved them anyway. Rachel ran down the stairs, jumping down them two at a time in order to get there that much faster, and skipped merrily to answer the door.

"C'mon in Finn," Rachel greeted warmly, addressing the tall frankenteen (who was absentmindedly looking at the clouds) standing on her front porch.

"Thanks," Finn answered, awkwardly walking into Rachel's home. Sheepishly looking down at his feet, Finn felt…well uncomfortable to say the least. He didn't exactly remember how he was invited. It just happened.

"_Hey Finn, so you remember that duet Mr. Schue assigned us? I was wondering if you could to my house so we could practice."_

"_That sounds great Rachel but-"_

"_Maybe you could even come earlier. We could listen to my Streisand collection or watch some movies and eat popcorn. My dads just installed this great sound system. It'll be fun, promise!"_

"_You know I'm kind of bus-"_

"_You really need the practice though in order to match my superior vocals. You have got to come. The whole team is depending on us to help. What if that first place trophy at regionals is based on how well we perform out duet? Would you want that guilt riding on _your_ shoulders if _we_ lose? No, I didn't think so. Now you're going to come to my house tonight at 7."_

"_Err…"_

"_Okay, I'll see you there!"_

Grabbing Finn's hand, Rachel led him up to her room to begin practice. After she opened her gold star studded door (no surprise there), Finn took a moment to observe his surroundings. Posters depicting all sorts of Broadway shows were plastered all over her room. Stuffed animals were strewn across her canopy bed. _That's kind of cute…in a weird way_, he thought. He could picture Rachel, snuggling with her many furry friends at night, wearing pink silk pajamas. He had always loved girls dressed in Victoria's Secret wear. Finn imagined placing his hand on her leg and slowly gliding it upwards, stroking her body…wait. _God Finn,_ he thought, mentally scolding himself, _why do you have to be such a pervert? Oh no, I think Rachel's looking at me weird._

"Are you alright Finn?"

"Um, yeah, of course," he scoffed, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh. You just seemed a bit…distracted."

Finn tried to play it off. "Who me? Nah, I was just…erm…," he chuckled nervously, too embarrassed to look into Rachel's inquisitive (now suspicious) eyes, "Ummm…nothing, nevermind. Why don't we begin practice? After all, that's why I'm here, right?"

"Right. Here, come sit by me," Rachel suggested, patting the seat on her bed right next to her.

Finn sat down quite abruptly; as a result of this sudden change of weight on the bed (since he was the quarterback of the football team and since she was well…petite and tiny), Rachel was rocketed into the air. She landed with a light thump on the ground.

"God, I'm so sorry Rachel!" he clamored, reaching out a hand to help her get up.

"No, it's alright." Rachel answered smiling. She stood up and gently smoothed out her short pink skirt before she began, "Are you ready to actually start practice or are you just going to goof off some more?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No, I'm good," Finn chuckled, scratching the back of his head and feeling slightly humiliated.

"Okay, now repeat after me," Rachel ordered, beginning her scales, "Mi, mi, mi, mi, mi, mi, mi."

Finn did as he was told. Practice went quite smoothly. They sang their duet so many times that even Rachel lost count. Finn would get distracted easily leaving Rachel the job of refocusing him somehow; often times she resorted to using her "brute force" (Finn realized early on that despite her size, Rachel sure packed a punch). He even loosened up a bit during practice and found out-to his surprise-that Rachel wasn't as bad as he first thought she would be. She was actually pretty...(dare he say it) cool. After some time though, Finn began to grow weary.

"Hey Rach, do you mind if we take a break? I'm getting a little tired."

"Sure," Rachel replied, taking a seat on her bed. She didn't want to admit it but she was getting pretty worn out too.

Finn inched closer to her and sat—gently this time—right next to her. He could see that Rachel was shivering slightly so he draped an arm around her shoulders, shielding her from the cold.

"Thanks," Rachel said, giving a small chuckle, "Aren't you cold?"

"Nah. My mom always told me how when I was little, I would run outside and rip off my clothes cause I would be too hot…even in the winter time. Guess my blood's got to be boiling or something for me to never get cold," Finn joked.

Rachel giggled to herself at Finn's story. _Only Finn_…, she sighed and shook her head.

"Hey, no wonder you're cold Rachel. Your window's wide open." Finn marched over to the window that had been letting in all of the ice cold air and made sure it was closed shut. He walked away and reclaimed his spot by Rachel. However, if he had been paying more attention to his surroundings (and less being smitten by Rachel), Finn would have noticed a figure, cloaked in the darkness, sneaking around outside in the bushes.

* * *

**Sorry about the _really, really_ cliché ending; I really couldn't think of any way to end this chapter so I took the easy way out. :) Forgive me. Trust me the story does get better over the next couple of chapters. I've always hated starting out stories cause I can't write them well :p**

**Anyway, remember to review because they make me happy and a happy me means a quicker update :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**I probably should have said this before. I always thought of this story being towards the beginning of season 1 where there was no Jesse, no Shelby (yet…I might include her in later but I'm not quite sure), and most of all no rushed Finchel confession. That really bothered me in the finale because it was so random and not as gradual as I would have liked (but that's just me). **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed and added this story to their faves. You guys rock :) Enjoy the second installment!**

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately don't own Glee. If I did, my name would be Ryan Murphy. But it's not.**

Chapter 2

* * *

Finn and Rachel had gone downstairs to grab a bite to eat. Rachel had finally decided that they had practiced enough and that Finn had improved some—though still not enough to surmount her vocal power.

"Hey Finn," Rachel started to ask, "Are you planning on staying for dinner? My dads won't be back for days. I can always fix something up for us. I watch Food Network all the time and I've been cooking ever since I could raise my head above the kitchen counter. When I was ten, my dads sent me to cooking camp and I won first place for my dish which I called _Spaghetti a la Rachel_…" She went on and on, Finn only half paying attention. He was too busy staring into her eyes, listening to her babble nonstop. _Who knew her eyes were that pretty?_, he wondered. Refocusing himself and finally giving his undivided attention to Rachel's now five minute monologue, Finn noticed that she was starting to turn a slight shade of red…probably from talking too much. He thought this would be a good place to stop her.

"Rachel, Rach," Finn interrupted, trying to get her attention (she had gotten to the point where she was now rambling about cafeteria food). "You don't have to prove to me you know how to cook. I'll stay." Finn gave her an encouraging smile.

"Okay," Rachel smiled shyly with her head down, looking somewhat embarrassed, "Thanks. I guess I'm a bit nervous about being alone for the whole week and not being able to talk to anyone." She chuckled half-heartedly.

Finn smiled and said, "I'll be here as long as you want. It is Friday so I don't have to worry about school tomorrow."

"Want to help me in the kitchen?"

"Gee, Rachel, that sounds like a whole lot of fun but I have to say I'm kind of a klutz in the kitchen…"

"When are you not?" Rachel joked.

"Haha, very funny."

"Let me teach you then. You know my dads told me I was the best cook they'd ever-"

Finn cut her off, "Okay, okay. I'm coming…just as long as you don't break out into another lengthy soliloquy again." He chuckled, looking at her straight in the eye.

Rachel stuck out her tongue playfully at Finn (though she had to admit she was surprised that he knew what the word 'soliloquy' meant. She figured she was rubbing off on him after all).

He followed Rachel into the kitchen and watched her closely as she wrapped the apron around her waist.

"Hey Finn, care to lend me a hand?"

He walked towards her and Rachel placed the apron strings into his palms. Finn tried to make a reasonable looking bowtie but all he could manage was a lop-sided knot. _Ahh that'll do_, he thought, _Rachel can't see back here anyway_.

"So what are we making here today Chef Rachel?"

She giggled. "I was thinking about some homemade pizza. I know how much you love it…well that and chicken."

_Whoa. It was like this girl was inside his head_.

"Sounds great. Where do we start?"

"I'm going to start making the dough and then we can knead it together."

While Rachel gathered her ingredients, Finn couldn't help but stare at her...again. She was dashing around the kitchen and grabbing can after can, looking just like she did at school, just as determined as ever. He realized how adorable she looked in an apron of all things. _Well if she can pull off animal sweaters and knee socks (that make her look "homeschooled"), I guess she can pull off an old apron too_, he reasoned.

Finn walked around the kitchen island so that he was directly across from Rachel who was furiously adding flour and a bunch of other ingredients (that Finn didn't know the name of) into a metal bowl.

"You've got something on your cheek there," he pointed out.

"Where?"

"Right there!" He flicked some flour that had spilled outside of the mixing bowl onto Rachel's face.

"Oh you'll pay for that Hudson!" She laughed, grabbing a handful of flour straight from the bag.

"Try and get me Berry!"

A huge flour fight ensued. Finn was definitely surprised. Rachel had a pretty good aim...for such a girly girl. She managed to hit him square in the face with flour. But he wasn't going to let her win that easily. He grabbed her with one arm from behind so that she couldn't move, squirm as she might. Using his free left hand, Finn snatched some flour and sprinkled it over her hair.

"Hey! Let me go!" Rachel squealed playfully.

"No way!" He began to tickle her all over.

"Stop it Finn!" she laughed, but he still persisted.

"Never!" Finn announced dramatically.

"Finn, please, I can't even catch my breath," she begged, tears beginning to form in her eyes from giggling so hard.

Eventually Rachel managed to wriggle out of Finn's death grip and counter attacked. Running around him, she jumped piggy-back style on his back, throwing flour all over his hair, completely covering Finn in white.

"Hey, get off of me!"

"Never!" Rachel imitated, just as dramatic.

"Okay, well you asked for it!" Finn stretched his arms around his back, dragging Rachel down. He spun around, capturing his victim once more.

Rachel laughed harder than ever. "Okay I surrender! I surrender!" she shouted as Finn began to wrestle her.

"CRACK!"

Hearing the sudden noise, the two immediately stopped in mid-battle.

"What was that?" Finn asked, turning his head in the direction from which the sound came.

"I'm not really sure myself," Rachel replied, "It sounds like it came from my room. I'm going to go and check it out."

"Wait. I'm coming with you!"

So, hand in hand, both walked upstairs to see exactly what was going on.

* * *

**This was my first attempt at writing fluff. I'm more of a drama and angst girl (all of the suspense and action/drama will come up next I promise!)**

**Again, please review! I'll give you a hug if you dooooo ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you soooooo much to those of you who are reading and reviewing! You guys make my day. :) Some shout outs to my most dedicated reviewers so far: becc-gallanter and LiveLoveLaughLife. Thanks for your reviews :D**

**And thus my darker chapters begin. –laughs maniacally- **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. I wish. **

Chapter 3

* * *

After cautiously walking up the stairs, the two slowly entered Rachel's room. Finn could not believe his eyes; he could feel Rachel tense up right beside him. She stood there in a state of disbelief, mouth gaping at the condition her room was in.

Glass. Under her window. Cracked. Broken. Everywhere.

"Finn, h-how? What happened?" she sputtered, lost for words (which was a first). She began to switch into panic mode (never a good thing).

"I'm sure everything's fine," Finn said, trying to calm her down though he was a bit hesitant himself, "Maybe a bird crashed in here or something."

"A bird, Finn? Really?" Rachel looked at him incredulously.

"A really big bird? Well you know like in those commercials with the squeaky clean windows and-" Finn stopped talking as soon as he saw Rachel's exasperated face.

"C'mon, let's get serious here." Rachel began investigating her entire room, pretending to be a detective. She wandered into her bathroom, saw nothing, and proceeded to walk past Finn who was standing in the same spot, somewhat dumb founded.

"Okay fine," he said at last, "This could have been just a freak accident. Couldn't it?"

Finn didn't hear a response so he repeated his question. "Couldn't it?"

Suddenly, Rachel screamed. One that Finn would never forget. It was a blood curdling shriek, a scream filled with horror and surprise. He spun around just in time to see Rachel, trembling with fear, with a gun held at her temple. Finn's eyes slowly went from Rachel to the gun to the man-no boy-holding the gun.

It was Jacob. Decked out in black (seriously, how much more cliché could he get?). His hair was a disheveled mess, protruding from under the sides of the tiny black cap he had on his head. A black tool belt hung around his waist, perfect for storing away a gun. His thick bulky jacket hid most of the belt's possessions from view.

"Jacob? What the hell?" Finn shouted, "Let her go." His voice wavered slightly but Finn kept his ground.

Jacob had one arm around Rachel's body and arms, leaving her immobile in his tight grasp. A thin evil smile spread across his face, as if saying that he had finally won. Jacob raised an eyebrow, taunting Finn, challenging him. Finn could even see the malicious glint in Jacob's dark, beady eyes.

Rachel's eyes, however, were wide open, petrified, staring desperately at Finn. They seemed to scream "help" but Finn felt so powerless. _What could he do?_ He took a step closer to Rachel.

Jacob spoke for the first time in a threatening tone, his awkwardness that Finn had remembered so clearly disappearing before his very eyes. "Don't," he said gruffly, "Not if you want her alive." He pressed the tip of his pistol harder against Rachel's head. Rachel grunted in pain. Finn reached out instinctively to try to help her. _Stupid mistake_.

Jacob dragged Rachel out of her room, eyes still locked on Finn.

"Don't even try to come closer. If you do, there will be consequences. I'll make sure of it."

Jacob hustled Rachel, who was nearly in tears, into the guest bedroom right next door, kicking the door closed with the heel of his foot. He spotted a wooden chair in the corner and shoved Rachel into it.

"Sit," he barked demandingly, treating her like an animal. Rachel obeyed, too alarmed to even think straight.

Jacob reached into the pocket inside of his jacket and pulled out a new roll of duct tape. He began to unwind the roll of tape, passing it effortlessly around Rachel's stomach to his other hand stretched behind the chair despite holding a gun. Around and around the tape went; the execution was flawless. It was like he had practiced his plan of attack beforehand.

Rachel's brain now began to kick in; she started to fight back, kicking and scratching whatever she could reach. However, Jacob and the restraint of the tape were too much. She could not muster enough energy to escape. She was forced to accept the reality of her situation, however brutal and dim it was. Jacob continued to tie her down; it was then when Rachel got a whiff of Jacob's breath.

"Have you been drinking, Jacob?" she asked shakily.

Jacob didn't respond. He didn't have to. Rachel knew the answer.

He began to bind her hands, which were behind the back of the chair, with the tape. Then quickly moving to her feet, he wrapped the duct tape around her ankles, tying them so tightly together that Rachel gave a little howl of discomfort. She kicked him intuitively right in the nose. Jacob cried out in pain and immediately slapped Rachel across the face. Her cheek stung from the force of his blow but she refused to show it on her face and give him the satisfaction of her being vulnerable or weak. Jacob gingerly touched his nose, made sure it wasn't broken, and brushed off her little outburst as if nothing had happened.

He was now working his way up to her thighs; the roll of tape was nearly gone at this point. He was taking every precaution to ensure that Rachel Berry would not be able to escape.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the other room, Finn was too worried to even begin pacing. He sat on the ground on his knees and held his head. _How could this have happened? _he wondered, _The day started off so carefree, so pure, so innocent. How could it have turned to this? _

Finn had left his phone downstairs before the flour fight. He was mentally beating himself up about that. He wanted back up: friends, police, complete strangers, it didn't matter. He wanted his mother to soothe him, to tell him that everything was going to be alright. He wanted Rachel. He wanted her to be okay, to be unharmed. But he was alone. Utterly alone.

Despite his fears, Finn knew he had to do something. He had to act back. If not for his own life, then for Rachel's. She didn't deserve any of this and he was going to make sure she would be safe.

* * *

Jacob had now successfully bound Rachel to the chair. _Oh God._ _What is he going to do now?_ Rachel wondered.

Jacob dropped his gun right by her chair and removed his jacket. Slowly he straddled Rachel's bound legs and inched nearer to her so that his chest touched hers; she could hear his pulse beating fast, could smell his clearly beer-perfumed breath. Rachel tried to pull away in disgust but she could barely move. If the tape wasn't enough to hold her down, she now had Jacob's added weight helping tie her down.

Jacob moved even closer, brushing his lips against hers so that he could taste her cherry lip gloss. Taking in a deep breath, he relished this moment. Jacob moved his hands down Rachel's body, touching her, caressing her.

Rachel felt tears, burning in her eyes. She tried to hold them back but she failed. Hot tears fell down her cheeks, ruining her mascara and makeup. But she didn't care. She didn't want any of this. _It's just a bad dream_, she tried to convince herself. It didn't work. Rachel was stuck in her worst nightmare.

Jacob, either too busy to notice her distress or purposely ignoring her (she didn't know), continued on. He kissed her again and again, never ceasing to stop. Unlike Rachel, Jacob felt like he was on the top of the world. In his mind, he was doing nothing wrong. He finally had Rachel all to himself and it felt wonderful. Pausing for a second, he composed himself and leaned towards the side of her face.

Jacob whispered seductively in her ear, "C'mon Rachel. Don't you want me?"

"No," she spat back.

Jacob seemed bewildered at first, but then assumed that Rachel was simply playing hard to get and continued to wrap his arms around her body. He touched her face, cupping it in both of his hands, and raised her chin so that her lips met his own.

Rachel tried to fight back once more; she squirmed and wiggled, dodging Jacob's lips whenever she could, but she was starting to lose hope. Where was Finn? Was he too worried to come and help? Was he going to rush in and be her prince charming? It didn't matter. Rachel just wanted this to stop. But she couldn't do anything about it. She could only feel Jacob's hands moving around her. It was getting worse now. He positioned his hands on both side of her waist and slowly dragged them upwards, lingering on Rachel's chest. Jacob began to grow more excited. In one swift movement, he reached one hand under her shirt and Rachel started to sob both in fear and sorrow. Totally enveloped in his fantasy world, Jacob ignored Rachel's cries.

* * *

Finn was done thinking and feeling sorry for himself.

He decided that this was it.

It was time to do something.

He was going to save Rachel at whatever cost.

Even if it meant risking his own life.

* * *

***Wow* Look another cliché ending! I apologize yet again.**

**On another note, did anyone watch Matt and Lea at the Tony's last night? They were amazing! I watched only because of them (which sucked for me cause they came on towards the end). Matt had his crazy dance moves (I fawned over him near the end of his number) and Lea's performance was gorgeous. I love the part when she sat on Jon Groff's lap –dies of cuteness- (Best part of the night for me). And Idina and Kristin were there which was great cause I'm going through a Wicked phase right now :p **

**Did you see the beginning with Douglas Hodge and Matthew Morrison? When Matt gave him a little tip, I was laughing my head off (and so was Lea!). It was great. **

**Thank you, thank you, thank you to my reviewers. I check like a maniac (and get all excited...yes, I'm a dork. That's already been established) when it comes to reviews so I really appreciate them. :) So review pwease? -puppy dog eyes-**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yay, more reviews! :) Thank you all for making me a gleeful (haha, get it? :p) person. So answering some reviews/shout outs:**

**Olivia94: Thank you soo much! Your comment made me grin from ear to ear. :)**

**musicxlax: Yes, cliffhangers are the best, aren't they? ;)**

**LiveLoveLaughLife: I love turning Jacob into a creep (haha). I have rewatched Matt and Lea's Tony performances over and over. Kristin Chenoweth is the best: "That's unusual for me…" hahaha**

**Empty Puppet: I think I mentioned that he had been drinking beer (something about his breath being "beer-perfumed") but I might have to check again on that. Sorry if I missed out on it! Jacob's whole drinking thing (plus another twist I'm going to add later) is influenced by a true story I saw on tv. I hope everyone will like it! –crosses fingers-**

**Disclaimer: Glee + me owning it = fat chance**

Chapter 4

* * *

Finn tiptoed towards the guest room and saw (to his disappointment) that the door was closed. Praying that it wouldn't squeak and alert Jacob to his presence, Finn slowly turned the knob and swung open the door to reveal a tiny crack. Thankfully no sound was made. Finn put his eye next to the little opening and tried to see what was going on.

_What was Jacob doing?_

Finn was disgusted…no, horrified…no, sickened…at the sight of Rachel, helpless against Jacob's assaults. He noticed that her eyes were closed shut, almost as if they were afraid to open. Her tear streaked face told Finn everything he needed to know.

_C'mon Finn. Think. You have to do something._

He spotted Jacob's gun right by Rachel's feet. If only he could get to it. Then Rachel would be out of danger. He was sure he could overpower Jacob if it ever came down to a fist fight. Or he could go downstairs, get his phone, and call the police. But then he would be risking the possibility of Jacob hearing his footsteps going down the stairs. No, he wasn't going to be a coward and leave Rachel there all defenseless. He was going to face off with Jacob. He had to.

Carefully walking into the room so that he could reach the abandoned gun, Finn saw that Rachel's eyes had opened. She stared right back at him. Her eyes were watery from crying yet sparkling with a renewed hope. In them, Finn mustered up the courage to continue. He was sure he was trembling—he could feel it, but he quickly brushed his fear away.

Finn inched closer and closer. The gun was within a couple of feet. Finn decided to go for it. Lunging forward, he grabbed the gun and aimed it at Jacob who had turned around, looking aghast.

"Get off of her," Finn threatened, "Before I do something I might regret." The gun was still menacingly directed at Jacob. Now it was Jacob's turn to be afraid. He slowly got off of Rachel's lap, glaring at Finn, angrier than ever because Finn had ruined his moment to be with Rachel at last.

Facing Jacob the entire time, Finn walked backwards until he bumped into Rachel's bound legs. Finally letting his guard down, Finn knelt down, staring into Rachel's eyes, and placed a hand under her chin. He asked worryingly, "Are you okay?"

Rachel nodded silently, allowing a small, sweet smile escape from her lips. She let out a breath of relief as she leaned her head towards Finn so that their foreheads met.

"Thank you," she murmured softly.

Finn immediately began working on the tape that had bound Rachel to the chair. _God this stuff is tough! _he complained to himself as he was untying—or more like _trying_ to untie—Rachel's hands. While helping Rachel, Finn spotted Jacob trying to sneak away out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey you!" he shouted, causing Jacob to jump up in surprise, "Stay right where you are! I'm not letting you out of my sight…not after what you did to-" Finn trailed off when he saw Rachel look down at her feet, probably trying to erase the painful memory from her mind.

Finn, pointing the gun at Jacob, motioned for him to sit on the bed in the room. Jacob reluctantly obeyed.

After some time, Finn finally broke through the sturdy duct tape that had held Rachel's hands together. She rubbed her sore wrists, red from the tight binding, and hastily began tearing through the tape around her belly. Finn switched his attention to the tape around her ankles, concentrating on breaking the sturdy fastener.

"Holy crap! Rip, you stupid thing," he muttered quietly so that only he could hear it, obviously irritated at the strength of the binding.

Finn dropped the gun by his side and began feverishly attacking the tape. Meanwhile, Rachel had removed the tape that had tied back her stomach and moved on to her thighs. Thankful that she still had relatively long nails, she clawed both of her legs free. Both Finn and Rachel were oblivious to their surroundings because they were so focused on the task at hand. They didn't even hear Jacob's quiet footsteps come nearer.

But it all became dreadfully apparent when they looked up to see Jacob, holding the pistol, with a wide grin plastered on his face. He had snuck over to the two unsuspecting teenagers and had taken the gun that Finn had placed on the ground.

"Guess who's back in control now?" he jeered, smirking. He was unmistakably pleased to be back on top. He felt secure again with the gun held firmly in his grasp.

Finn whipped his head around, shaken by this sudden change of power. "Jacob!" Finn exclaimed in shock, still kneeling by Rachel. "How did you…when did you-?"

"Now, now Finn," Jacob said condescendingly, "You should've known that I still had a few tricks up my sleeve."

"But you're sleeveless," Finn noted, slightly confused, looking at the black t shirt Jacob was wearing underneath the jacket he had taken off.

Jacob looked at him in disbelief and rolled his eyes, not even bothering to respond.

In the meantime, Rachel had finally disentangled herself from the binding that held her to the chair and slipped down right next to Finn. Finn, though glad Rachel was right next to him, was still concerned about her safety so he took a small scoot forward and nudged her behind him, slightly shielding her with his figure.

"All I ever wanted was to get in her pants," Jacob boldly stated, "And you ruined that for me." He pointed the gun at Finn's face. "I could care less about what happens to you Hudson."

Rachel whimpered softly, though loud enough for Finn to hear. He automatically wrapped his arms around her body, trying to give her a sense of security even though he himself was full of worry and doubt.

"You don't want to do this," Finn managed to stutter, arms squeezing a trembling Rachel. Rachel was curled up in a ball, one arm squeezing her legs closer to her chest and another wrapped tightly around Finn's forearm. Finn could hear her heart pound against his body and just hugged her closer, hoping to ease her fear.

Jacob stood there, silent, unmoving, void of emotion. His gun still laid cocked in his hand.

"P-please," Rachel begged desperately, her deep brown tear filled eyes meeting Jacob's cold, empty, dark ones. He remained indifferent, shrugging off his fellow classmates' pleads. Jacob began to move slowly towards them.

"No" came his harsh reply as he lifted his pistol and aimed at the two terrified students.

* * *

**Sorry about the shortness of this chapter. I have loads of homework and other stuff to get done. :/ Anyway, I promise the next chapter will make up for it :D**

**Remember to review and give me some motivation to write and update sooner! :) I might even give you a sneak peek of the next chapter if you do (just state if you want it) ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow! 16 reviews for one chapter! That's incredible. Thank you all so so so much :) This chapter is dedicated to you!**

**chocolatefan929**** brought up a valid point about how Jacob was able to do everything he has done while drunk. I just wanted to clarify this because since I know what the storyline will be, I sometimes don't make it clear enough to my readers. I apologize. Jacob isn't tipsy like you would assume a drunk to act like. The alcohol is only there as something that's clouding his judgment. Jacob knows that he shouldn't being doing all of this but the alcohol is making him act on his emotions and not to think things through. I hope that clears up some confusion!**

**Disclaimer: I'm only a fan, not a producer of Glee.**

Chapter 5

* * *

Finn cringed with his eyes closed shut, squeezing Rachel tighter than ever, waiting for the bullet to come and hit him. He felt his muscles tense and clenched his fists, anticipating the impact.

Then he heard the loud crack, breaking the silence.

But the bullet never came. At least _he_ never felt it.

Instead what happened was worst.

He heard Rachel gasp out in pain. He quickly opened his eyes as terror flooded through him.

Blood. Rachel's blood. Everywhere: over his hands, his clothes, the ground.

Jacob never exactly had the best aim. He had closed his eyes blindly and thought he had nailed Finn. Instead Rachel, breaking from Finn's grasp, had thrust her body forward with arms spread out wide in order to save him from the incoming bullet. As a result, the bullet pierced her abdomen, causing Rachel to scream in agony.

She fell backwards into Finn from the force of the blow. Luckily, Finn caught her in his outstretched arms. He cradled the wounded Rachel in his lap, supporting her head with his hand. She was frantic and breathing hard, wide-eyed at the wound she was carrying. Finn's eyes traveled to Rachel's stomach. He normally wasn't a squeamish kind of guy but he did flinch at the sight of the hole in her abdomen, bright red crimson blood pouring out of it profusely. Finn immediately tore off his vest and pressed it down onto Rachel's stomach, hoping to stop the flow of blood. He could see that she was scared; she was close to tears and taking short, sudden breaths. Instead of feeling nauseated and throwing up (like he wanted to), Finn just leaned over close to her face. He whispered gently, "Rach, you're going to be alright, okay? Just hang on tight."

She nodded ever so slightly. He could tell that she was fading fast.

Jacob, overwhelmed by the mess he caused, eyed the gun in his hand. In one swift moment, he raised the gun to the right side of his head, jabbing it into his temple.

He proclaimed darkly yet deliberately, "She won't live much longer."

Finn tried to hold back his tears that he felt were coming on. He had to be strong. He had to be a man.

Jacob continued, "She's my soul mate. It's my calling. Now we'll be together…in the afterlife."

With that, he pulled the trigger. A loud bang rang throughout the house and a moment later, Jacob fell limp onto the blood stained ground. The gun rolled out of his lifeless hands. To think how such a small instrument could cause so much damage and grief-it was mind blowing. Finn turned his head away. He didn't want to see Jacob's glazed eyes staring back at him; it would be too much for him to handle all at once. Rather, Finn turned his attention to Rachel once more. She was starting to close her eyes.

"Rach, Rach, look at me," he pleaded desperately. "Look at me." He grew more demanding and urgent, "Rachel, you can't give up on me now."

Rachel weakly gazed back at him.

"Promise, you'll stay with me?" Finn asked.

She gave a tiny nod before sinking her head into Finn's arms. Now it was all up to him. Her life was in his hands.

Finn lifted the tiny brunette in his arms with ease. She seemed so pale and fragile lying there, so still. Finn made sure he had a firm grip on Rachel before he began to exit the room. He shuddered when he saw how much blood the carpet had soaked up from underneath her.

Dashing downstairs with Rachel still warm in his arms, Finn tried to find his phone. _Damn it_, he thought, _Where the hell did I leave my phone?_ Giving up on locating his cell, he spotted what must have been the Berrys' home phone. Finn gently laid Rachel down on the couch nearby and made sure she was as comfortable as she could be. Then he seized the phone and dialed 911.

"Hello, this is 911. What's your emergency?"

"Please, you have to come quick. This guy came and shot my friend. She really needs help. Please hurry," Finn said, starting to grow more frantic.

"Okay, calm down. Now, where are you at?"

Finn told the operator where Rachel lived and what had happened with Jacob. After informing the operator of the events that had led up to this point, Finn listened intently to the instructions relayed to him.

"The paramedics will be there shortly. Is she still breathing?" the operator asked.

Finn crawled over to check on Rachel. He leaned over and placed two fingers on the side of her neck. He could feel a pulse and saw Rachel's chest rise and fall a few times. Finn put his arm under her neck so that her head fit snuggly in the crease of his elbow.

"Hey Rach," he murmured, "Hold on. Help is on its way."

"Remember to keep pressure on her wound," the voice from the phone reminded him.

Finn pressed down on the bloody vest that covered the entry wound; he wasn't sure how much help that would be. She had already lost so much blood. He started to hyperventilate; this was all too much. This wasn't happening. Finn moved to get up and leave but he was interrupted by a small voice.

Rachel spoke so softly that Finn could barely hear her, but he could clearly sense her apprehension. "Finn, don't go." She looked up at him with her big, brown eyes, brimming with tears. She was scared. Plain and simple.

Finn saw the fear in her eyes and mentally reprimanded himself for even thinking of deserting Rachel. She had it much worse than him.

"Never," he replied, placing the phone down and taking her tiny, pale hand in his large one.

Soon after, they heard shrill, blaring sirens which signaled the arrival of the paramedics. Finn momentarily pulled away from Rachel to open the door and returned to his spot just as quickly right by her side. He put his hand on her forehead and noticed that she was sweating; she was deteriorating right in front of his eyes.

"Don't worry Rachel. They're here. You're going to be just fine." Finn bit his lip. Was she really going to be alright? Had he been lying to her all day? What if she didn't make it? No, he was confident she would pull through. She was a fighter; he had known that since the first day they met.

Men and women in navy blue uniforms suddenly rushed into the house. One was carrying a stretcher; others were clutching first aid bags. Two medical assistants ran up the stairs; Finn assumed that the operator had informed them of Jacob.

When he saw the paramedics run towards Rachel, Finn stood up, backing away from her so the trained professionals could help her. With one great heave, two men lifted Rachel onto the gurney.

Everything was a blur for Rachel; so many people, so much pain and dizziness. She was a little disoriented; however, she was sure of one thing. She needed Finn. Throughout this whole day, Finn had been her rock, her source of security. Now that he was not by her side, Rachel began to panic, her anxiety kicking in.

"Finn? Finn!" she hollered, as the paramedics began strapping her onto the stretcher. She already had an oxygen mask over her mouth, and the vest that Finn had used to stop the bleeding was replaced with gauze. Everything was moving so fast. She wanted a familiar face nearby. "Finn!" she cried again, fighting the paramedic who was pinning her down with the oxygen mask.

Finn lifted his head when he heard his name being called…or more like shrieked. He ran over to her side, weaving through paramedics, and grabbed her hand.

"Everything's going to be okay," he said in a soothing tone, "You're going to be okay."

Rachel was rolled out of the door, with Finn running to catch up, and loaded into the back of the ambulance. Finn motioned to get in the vehicle with her but was stopped by an EMT.

"Excuse me young man," he said, holding a hand out in order to block Finn from coming along, "There's not enough room for you to accompany her. You can meet up with us at the hospital a couple blocks west from here."

Finn tried to protest but he knew it would end up going nowhere; it would only lengthen the time it would take for Rachel to get the help she so desperately needed. He reluctantly agreed and stepped back, but not before calling out to Rachel one last time.

"I'll see you soon, okay? Please Rach, just hang on…" he trailed off. He felt like there was a lump in his throat, constricting it.

Finn caught a glimpse of a bunch of medical professionals connecting some weird tubes to Rachel before the doors of the back of the ambulance closed. The ambulance drove away, following a police car, as Finn sank to the ground, his back leaning against the front tire of his truck that was parked on Rachel's driveway. He began to sob quietly with his head down, silently praying that Rachel would be safe, as the loud, ringing sirens and bright, flashing lights of the emergency vehicles faded away in the distance.

* * *

**Dun, dun, duunnn! This chapter was a lot harder to write than I had anticipated. I wanted to mix in suspense, drama, some fluff, and emotion. At the same time, I had to research and make **_**some**_** sense medically (especially for the next chapter). I hope I didn't fail to disappoint!**

**Oh, can you believe that I had a dream about this fanfic last night? Kind of creepy... O.O **

**As always, please review so I know what I can improve or keep doing! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**More reviews! You are all making my day so much more better :D I can't say thank you enough! So thanks ;) -presents you with chapter 6- Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Glee isn't mine, never will be. **

Chapter 6

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Finn had to stop feeling sorry for himself. _He_ wasn't the one who got shot. _He_ wasn't the one who had to deal with Jacob. _He_ wasn't the one in the back of the ambulance, fighting to stay alive. No, he was just the person who had to witness all of the above. He was just the person who had to see Rachel suffer.

And that was what hurt the most.

Finn picked himself off of the ground and walked towards his truck. He slowly pulled open the car door and slid into the seat behind the wheel. He had some driving to do if he wanted to catch up with Rachel.

After what seemed like hours of driving (it was only a mere ten minutes in reality), Finn pulled into the parking lot in front of the emergency room and raced through the doors. He saw a mob of doctors and nurses running in one direction and, before he had the chance to think, darted after them.

Soon Finn saw what all of the medical professionals had been so frantically rushing towards. It was Rachel. She was lying on a stretcher, motionless. For a split second Finn thought that maybe she didn't make it, his heart sinking at the idea, but then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her head turn in his direction. Rachel gave a faint smile, acting like a silent thank you. Caught up in the commotion, she rolled her head back so that she was staring at the ceiling and at the flurry of doctors trying to help her.

The atmosphere could be best described as chaotic. Doctors were shouting instructions at nurses; nurses were scurrying around, trying to get the necessary materials.

"Entry wound, upper right abdomen," one shouted, trying to be heard above all of the excess noise.

"Pulse 115, she's starting to go into shock!"

"Start an IV and get her two units of O, stat," another ordered.

"Call the OR. We have to get her in for an exploratory laparotomy right now."

Several doctors began rolling Rachel away. As she passed him, Finn caught a glimpse of her pale figure. She was lying so still, now too tired to even call out to Finn. He tried to catch her hand as she was being hurried away; he missed. Finn could hardly wrap his brain around this. Absent mindedly, he followed the flow of doctors to wherever they were taking Rachel.

A nurse who was standing nearby held out her arm, preventing Finn from going anywhere.

"She needs me," he argued, pointing at Rachel who was being whisked away. If he didn't go now, he wouldn't know where Rachel would be.

"_No_, what she needs is her doctors," the nurse retorted, trying to hold him back.

"Please, just tell me what's going on! Where are they taking her?" Finn begged. The nurse could see that he cared for this girl and tried to be as sympathetic as possible.

"They're taking her in for surgery. I can't tell you all about it right now, I'm sorry. Go stay in the waiting room. A doctor will be with you soon." The nurse left, running after the group of doctors working on Rachel, leaving Finn alone and confused.

He stumbled into the waiting room area and waited for his brain to process everything once more. One thing was clear. He needed to contact her parents. But how? He didn't know their number; he didn't even have a phone.

As much as Finn hated the thought of doing it, he _had_ to go back to the crime scene, to Rachel's house. He knew Rachel's dads probably left some way to contact them somewhere in the house. He wasn't sure when they'd be back, but Rachel was in the freakin' ER! Of course they had to know. Finn decided to muster up enough courage to go back.

He climbed into his truck and unenthusiastically drove back to the Berrys' house. On the way there, Finn began contemplating about how he would break the news to her parents. "Hey, your daughter just got shot" didn't exactly roll off the tongue. However, Finn found himself drowning in his thoughts; he was so concerned for Rachel that all of these "what if's" found their way back into his head. What if she died on the operating table? What if she had amnesia? What if he never got the opportunity to see her again, to hear her laugh, to just be with her? What if..what if...what if...?

Finn pulled into the driveway and, after parking his truck, slouched in his seat. He couldn't bear to go into the house where it all happened. After taking a few deep breaths, Finn forced his feet to move. Step by step, he came to the front of the house. The door was still wide open; no one had bothered to close it after the ambulance arrived. Finn hesitated for a brief moment, but then resumed to enter the house.

He stood in the doorway, remembering that just a few hours ago he was so much more naïve and clueless. In just a few short hours, everything had changed. _He_ had changed.

Finn strutted inside the house, reminding himself of the task at hand. He had to find some way of contacting the Berrys. As determined as he was, Finn couldn't help but notice the blood stains on the couch where Rachel had been moments before. He turned his head away, looking down at his feet in order to escape the sight.

Finn made his way into the kitchen. He sighed. This was where they had their little flour fight before—well, before their world came crashing down. There were still tiny mounds of flour scattered all over the linoleum floor, not to mention the unfinished bowl of pizza dough that was still sitting on the countertop. Finn wished he could turn back time; things had been so simple then, so happy, so carefree.

_God, get a hold of yourself_, he thought, annoyed at his weak, pitiful self,_ Stop being such a wuss! Just find the Berrys' number and then you can get the hell out of here._

Looking around the room, Finn spotted a note taped onto the refrigerator door. It read:

_To our little star,_

_We'll be home soon. Don't forget to water the plants and to always keep the house in a nice shape (that means no parties). We know you'll be a responsible young lady and make us proud. Another thing, remember to always lock the doors whether you're at home or not. Safety is key._

Finn scoffed at this point. _That didn't exactly help much did it?_ he thought, still fuming over the situation. _Jacob found his way in through the stupid window._ Finn tried to get rid of his irritation as his eyes continued to scan the letter.

_We will miss you dearly. Good luck with your schoolwork and Glee club. We know how much you love it. With much love, Dad and Daddy. _

Right below their signatures lied exactly what Finn was looking for: contact information.

Finn picked up the house phone that had been discarded on the ground and dialed the number as seen on the note. The Berrys weren't picking up. By the sixth ring, Finn had almost given up until he heard a "hello" on the other end.

"Hello?" the voice repeated, "Rachel, is that you? Hello?"

Finn finally spoke, "No, Mr. Berry. It's Finn, Rachel's friend."

Hiram Berry was the one answering the phone. He replied, "Oh yes, Finn. I remember that name. Rachel has told us a lot about you."

_She has? What did she say?_ he wanted to ask, his curiosity peaking. _No, get back on track._ Finn tried to refocus himself and was just about to talk again until he was disrupted by Mr. Berry's voice coming through the other end.

"So Finn," he said, "Why did you call?"

_Crap. _He never did think of what he was going to say. "This isn't going to be easy for me to say, Mr. Berry," he started.

"What's going on?" Finn heard another male voice; it must have been Rachel's other father, Leroy Berry.

Finn decided to continue, "There's been an accident involving your daughter."

"Is she alright?" Finn could hear the concern in Hiram's voice.

"She's in surgery."

The other end went silent. After a few quiet minutes, Finn heard Mr. Berry talk once more.

"Finn," addressed a stern voice, "Tell us exactly what happened."

Finn began his lengthy story, beginning from when he had first arrived to their house for vocal practice to what had happened with Jacob to coming back from the emergency room to find their numbers. He didn't notice it at first but he soon realized that he was shaking while reciting the story all over again; it was like reliving a nightmare. After he had finished his tale, he waited for Rachel's fathers to say something, anything. It seemed as if her fathers were in shock.

"We'll be back as soon as we can," Hiram told Finn. "C'mon Leroy, hurry, get the car ready. We're going back to Lima now." Mr. Berry spoke into the phone once more, "We'll be there in two hours, tops."

* * *

**So Rachel's fathers are on their way! **

**I'm not totally pleased with this chapter; it focused mainly on Finn and his way of grieving the whole time. I just thought this chapter was necessary in terms of how Rachel's fathers found out about the whole Jacob incident. I'll try to make the next chapter a little more interesting and fluffy :)**

**Next chapter will most likely deal with Rachel's outcome and some Finchel love…with an unexpected surprise! Please ****review****! :D They make me giddy…like more than usual. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Get ready for chapter 7! Thanks for all of the reviews guys! You make my day that much better. Seriously. You rock.**

**Disclaimer: I'm getting tired of doing this. Glee will never be mine. Never. Not now. Or now. Or now. **

Chapter 7

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Finn had made his way to the hospital…for the second time within an hour. He was nearly out of breath by the time he had dashed to the front desk.

"Excuse me," he asked the receptionist between gasps for air, "Do you—have any—news on—Rachel Berry?"

"Are you family?" she questioned back, furrowing her brow.

"Uh…not really, I've just been with her ever since she got admitted. Can I see her?"

"I'm sorry. We're only allowed to disclose information regarding our patients to family first." She saw Finn's face fall, leaving her feeling guilty for some odd reason she did not know.

She felt bad for the poor boy and revealed the information that she knew she was supposed to keep secret, "All it says under her name is that she's still in surgery. I bet the doctor will be right out. If you could just wait in the waiting room…" she pointed to the room across the hall. Finn glanced in that direction: everyone looked forlorn or concerned, some twiddling their thumbs in anticipation, others with their heads held low.

"Okay, thanks." Finn trudged over to the chair situated closest to the hallway where the doctors would stroll by. Medical physicians would walk in and out of the waiting rooms, delivering news both good and bad to the visitors. Every time a doctor would walk by, Finn would move to get up, thinking it was Rachel's doctor. But then the doctor would walk past him and Finn would sink back down into his chair, as miserable as ever.

Finn kept his eye on the clock, watching its hands creep slowly around, minute by minute. It was already around midnight; he could see the pitch black night sky from out of the window. Only one star twinkled in the distance. _Maybe, just maybe…_

Finn sighed. No, he hadn't done that since he was four. But...maybe he ought to give it a shot. For old time's sake. He placed his elbows on his knees so that his head rested on top of his interlocked fingers. Staring intently at the lone star in the sky, Finn began to wish upon his star (silently and to himself of course; he didn't want anyone else to know he was wishing on a star).

_Okay, so hey there star_, he thought, _well it's official. I'm losing my mind. Talking to a dumb star. _He backtracked for a moment before sighing and scolding himself, _Great job Finn. You just insulted the star you were about to wish on. Nice going. Anyway, star, if you're listening, can you grant me just one wish? One teeny tiny one? My friend Rachel's in the ER. She doesn't deserve any of it though. Seriously, she's one of the nicest people I've ever met. I know she can be a little crazy sometimes...okay, well most of the time...but she's special. I wish I could've realized that sooner. Well what I'm trying to say is that… if you could just work your little voodoo magic on her and make sure she'll be alright, I'd be forever grateful. That's all. __Ermm…amen?_

Finn raised his head and looked back at the star which was still shining as bright as ever. _I hope that worked_, he thought to himself. He sunk farther down into his chair and yawned, weary and fatigued. He had never stayed up this late before; sleep was like his best friend. Closing his eyes, Finn soon drifted off to sleep.

Half-asleep, Finn heard voices muttering nearby. He wished that they would just go away. Couldn't they see he was trying to sleep here?

"Is that him?" a male voice asked.

"Looks like it," another one said.

Finn felt someone jab him in the shoulder and awoke from his deep slumber with a startle. "Wh-what's happenin'?" he managed to mumble, rubbing his eyes.

He slowly opened his eyes and found two papa Berrys looming over him. Quickly sitting up straight in his chair, Finn mentally chastised himself for falling asleep.

"Oh sorry Mr. Berry and Mr. Berry," he said, acknowledging the two men, "When did you get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago. We saw you dozing off. Listen, Finn, have the doctors said anything—anything at all—about Rachel?"

"No." Finn shook his head sadly. "I've been here the whole time."

He saw the grief and sorrow in the Berrys' eyes. Then, right on cue, a general surgeon, donning what looked like a shower cap to Finn and a surgeon mask, came walking towards them.

"Are you the family of Rachel Berry?"

Rachel's fathers turned towards the surgeon as Finn jumped out of his chair.

Hiram Berry spoke first, "Yes, we're her fathers. How is she?"

"Rachel was shot in the upper right abdomen. She went into what we call stage two hypovolemic shock. She lost a rather large amount of blood but we were able to give her a transfusion. The bullet pierced her liver; however, we were able to cut that portion out and remove the bullet safely. Luckily, the bullet didn't hit any other major organ or artery."

Finn, along with Rachel's dads, breathed a sigh of relief.

"So she's okay?" Finn asked tentatively.

"Yes, she should be sleeping right now though." The surgeon turned towards Rachel's fathers. "I have some paperwork for you to fill out…if you could just follow me?" Pointing down the hallway, the surgeon beckoned for the Berrys' to follow him.

Finn reached out towards the surgeon and interrupted him, "Wait, please. Is it possible for me to see Rachel, just to visit her? Even if it's only for a minute?" He looked at Rachel's dads. "I mean, if that's okay with you."

The surgeon nodded, as did the Berrys.

"Just remember," the surgeon noted, "She'll be sleeping. She won't regain consciousness until later."

Finn indicated that he understood what the surgeon said.

"She's in room 254."

"Thank you."

Finn ran off towards the elevators to find the room Rachel was in while the Berrys left to sign some documents. After pressing the button to go to the second floor and watching the elevator doors close, Finn felt anxious. The doctor said Rachel was fine. What did he have to worry about? He was about to see Rachel, to see for himself if she was truly okay. Finn rushed out of the elevator the moment the doors opened. Trying his best not to be confused by the room numbers (from past experiences, he was known for getting lost…often), Finn managed to find his way to the door with the number 254 engraved in a small plaque right next to it. The door was unlocked and creaked softly as Finn carefully turned the knob and let himself in. Because all of the lights were turned off, the room was mainly dark, illuminated only by the glowing rays of the moon. Finn tiptoed into the room, being extra careful not to disturb Rachel.

But nothing could have prepared him for what he saw.

It was Rachel. But if it weren't for her brown hair, he wouldn't have recognized her. There were IVs attached to her arm and a clear plastic tube taped under her nose, supplying her with oxygen. Finn heard a continuous beeping sound and realized that Rachel was also connected to a heart monitor that stood by her bedside. Rachel herself was dressed in a light blue hospital gown and tucked tightly under blankets, fast asleep. She looked so serene and calm, so different from what he had remembered.

After finding a chair in the room, Finn lifted it over by Rachel's right side. He sat down and reached for one of Rachel's hands. Holding her fragile hand in his, he stroked her knuckles with his thumb. She was safe. Finally.

Tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear with his free hand, Finn told Rachel once more, "You're going to be alright." He tried to give her a smile but it all became too much to handle. Letting out a big sigh, Finn put his head down on the side of her bed.

Raising his head slowly, he muttered, "God, Rach, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. None of this would've happened if I had just stood up to Jacob…instead I acted like a coward. I could've wrangled that gun from his hands...I could've stopped this all from happening...I could've—"

Finn paused as he felt a wave of emotion flood over him. Maybe it was just seeing Rachel in the hospital that triggered it. Finn felt tears blurring his vision; he tried desperately to keep them from flowing out. But it was no use. They came anyway, freely pouring down his face.

"I'm so sorry, Rach," he whispered, quietly sobbing into the covers of her bed.

* * *

After finishing an endless amount of paperwork and getting everything signed, Rachel's fathers made their way to their daughter's room to check up on her. They cautiously knocked on the door out of respect for Finn's privacy. When no one answered, the two men pushed open the door and found a sleeping Finn next to their unconscious daughter.

Finn was sitting in the chair but the upper half of his body was on the bed, his head resting on his arms. He looked absolutely exhausted; after all, he had been through a lot in a short period of time. His hand was still clutching Rachel's despite being fast asleep.

"Should we wake him up?" Leroy Berry asked his partner.

"No, just let him sleep. I'll go call his mother and let her know that everything's alright." Hiram walked up to the other side of Rachel's bed and bent down, planting a kiss on her forehead before exiting the room.

Leroy nodded in agreement as Hiram left the room. After he heard the door close shut, he strolled towards his one and only daughter. Gently stroking her cheek with his fingers, Leroy let out a big sigh. His little bundle of joy, his little baby girl…in the hospital. Why did this have to happen to her? Leroy mentally scolded himself for leaving her alone at home…all vulnerable and defenseless. It was a good thing that Finn had been there; what would have happened to his daughter if he hadn't? He didn't even want to imagine the possibilities. After sitting with Rachel for a couple of minutes, talking to her and soothing her in her sleep, Leroy decided to look for Hiram because he knew that if he stayed there any longer by himself, he would most definitely burst into tears.

* * *

Rachel was extremely fatigued. She gingerly opened her eyes and was met with a burst of light. It was morning. She was just about to reach her hand up to rub her eyes but stopped when she saw that her hand was restrained by all sorts of tubes and medical equipment. Rachel then tried to lift her other hand but was surprised to see another hand grasping it. She turned to her side and saw Finn sleeping right next to her. His hand felt warm to the touch, which was a great comfort to Rachel, and she remembered Finn's awkward little story about never being cold. She let out a small smile, knowing that he had probably stayed with her all night.

Finn blinked his eyes a couple times, having been woken up by Rachel's tossing and turning. He gazed lovingly into her eyes and smiled back.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," Rachel croaked out, her hand suddenly touching her throat in surprise. Finn realized she must have been thirsty and headed towards the water cooler in the room. Grabbing her a cup, Finn ran back towards her side, careful not to spill any water on the ground, and tipped the cup into Rachel's open mouth. She gulped down the water immediately, glad to be relieved of her sudden thirst.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"How do you feel?" Finn asked in a concerned tone, setting the empty cup on the coffee table in the room.

"Like I've been shot," Rachel murmured back as a joke. Finn didn't find it as funny as she did, but smiled nevertheless. He was just happy that she was awake.

"You gave us all quite the scare."

Rachel sighed, blushing slightly, a tiny bit of her excited that others actually cared about her. She thought she was a nobody but here was Finn Hudson, saying that he cared.

He continued, "I guess we should get a nurse in here and tell her you're awake."

"No, wait Finn," Rachel spoke softly, reaching out her arm to prevent Finn from leaving, "I want to be alone with you. Can you stay...for now?"

Finn turned around and took Rachel's hand in his again. "Don't worry Rach. I promise I'll never leave you." He sat back in the chair by her bed, determined to make Rachel feel safe and loved. While sitting next to Rachel, Finn, overjoyed at the fact that she was well, thanked the star he had wished on the night before. _Guess stars can make wishes come true after all, huh?_ he thought, smiling to himself.

* * *

Soon after, Finn had called Rachel's doctors and her fathers to tell them that she was awake. Her fathers came running into the room, kissing her and embracing her, both so grateful that she was alive and in good health. Rachel felt like the air was being squeezed out of her as her dads poured out all of their love and affection by means of hugs.

The doctors checked up on Rachel in order to make sure she was responsive and healthy. Rachel sat up so that her back was leaning against the headboard of the bed; this proved far more difficult than Rachel had thought and she winced, putting a hand to her stomach, as the movement tugged at her stitches. Finn reached out a hand to help her, arranging her pillows in a way that she would be comfortable.

After the doctors left Rachel to be with her family and friends, the room went silent; however, the silence didn't last for long. Just as the doctors left, a knocking was heard at the door.

"Umm come in?" Finn invited, uncertain who could be at the door. After all, the only people who knew about the accident, as far as he knew, were the Berrys and himself. Unless another doctor was at the door?

But once the two adults stepped inside Rachel's room, Finn knew that they weren't doctors. They looked like normal people. One woman and one man.

"Can I help you?" Hiram Berry offered. He seemed just as confused as anyone else in the room; no one recognized who these people were. What could they possibly want?

"Hi," the woman said uncertainly. She pointed to the man who was her husband and continued, "We're Jacob's parents."

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**Holy moly! This chapter is by far the longest one I've ever written. :) I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Jacob's parents are here…bring on the DRAMAAA. xD**

**I'm sooo overwhelmed by the support this story has gotten. I would have never imagined people actually liking my story haha. Thanks for all of the kind words :D **

**I know I sound really annoying when I ask for reviews but I really enjoy hearing your input. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Nah, I wasn't about to kill Rachel off! What would happen to all of the future fluff to come? ;) **

**Thanks x 1,000,000 for all of your fantastic reviews. I'm so thrilled that you like this fic!**

**Disclaimer: Glee isn't mine. If it were, I'd be rich.**

Chapter 8

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Jaws dropped. Eyes bulged. Jacob's parents were standing five feet in front of them.

Jacob's mother was a rather heavyset woman, dressed in a tacky floral dress that touched her sandaled feet. She clutched a large, bulky, outdated purse in one hand and a white handkerchief in the other. Her face was as red as her curly hair, probably from all of the crying she had done. Jacob's father, however, was a lanky, tall fellow, with hair as reddish brown as his son's. He had on a shabby, almost Hawaiian like shirt with brown shorts that were two sizes too large. Suffice to say, it wasn't a stretch to assume that Jacob was their son.

Hiram Berry spoke up slowly yet clearly. Finn could tell there was a hint of hatred in his voice that he was trying to suppress. "Why are you here?"

"We're here to see how Rachel is doing," Jacob's mother responded casually with a grin on her face, moving forward to pat Rachel's legs which were still covered with the hospital blankets.

"Don't even come near her," Finn threatened, preventing the woman from touching Rachel. He didn't understand why he was so protective of Rachel all of a sudden. It was as if this whole experience had connected them in a way that no one else would understand.

Jacob's mother immediately backed off, stepping right by her husband's side, her smile disappearing from her face almost instantly. The tension in the room was palpable.

She brushed off Finn's warning, repeating in her head_ he's just a boy, he doesn't know any better_, and continued, "We know what Jacob did was horrible. We would have never imagined our little Jakey doing something like this. It's so not like him."

"Well maybe you should have gotten to know your son better," Finn muttered coldly.

Disregarding Finn's input once again, she said, "We never meant for this to happen. Heck, we never even expected it. You see, my husband and I went out for an evening together that night for our anniversary. We had pre ordered some alcohol and kept the bottles in the fridge for later. Jakey must've gotten to them when we left. We came home and…that's when we got the call."

"Your son needs to learn a little something called self-control," Finn said angrily under his breath.

"Don't you dare say anything bad about my son!" Jacob's father, suddenly enraged, shouted, taking everyone in the room by surprise. Finn immediately retaliated, screaming at Jacob's dad.

"He deserves it! He almost killed the both of us!" Finn was equally as mad, pointing at Rachel and then at himself.

Finn stopped when he heard someone sobbing softly. It was Jacob's mother. She was clinging onto her husband's shirt, bawling her eyes out. Finn realized he might have been just a tad too harsh but he meant every word he said.

Jacob's mother slowly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked at everyone around the room, her puffy red eyes lingering on Rachel.

She began again, speaking to only Rachel in particular, "I know what Jacob did was wrong. I guess we're slightly to blame because he is our son but—" She hesitated for a brief moment, collected her thoughts, and picked up from where she left off, "I just want one thing from you. Just one. I want forgiveness. Can you give me that Rachel? Forgiveness? I can't bear living when knowing that someone is hurting partially because of me."

Everyone turned their heads to face Rachel. Leroy placed a protective arm around her shoulders as Hiram inched closer towards his daughter. Finn clenched his jaw and balled his hands into fists. Rachel, still sitting up in bed, stared at Jacob's mother with a tentative look on her face. She looked uncertain…but most of all confused. Could she truly forgive the parents of the person who almost killed her? The person who sexually assaulted her? The person who was the very reason she was in the hospital? She glanced up at her fathers, hoping they would give her some sort of strength to respond. They only nodded and urged her to answer.

Instead Rachel, looking down at the blankets that covered the lower half of her body, responded quietly, "I'm sorry. I don't know if I can."

"Oh, okay," Jacob's mother's face fell. She turned towards her husband and said solemnly, "Okay, come on, let's go. Coming here was a lost cause."

She dragged her husband, who was still fuming at Finn, out of the room. The door clicked shut and the room was silent once more.

* * *

Finn had left the hospital room for the first time that day so he could go home to shower and eat. His mother had been waiting for him at the door and nearly knocked him down as she jumped into his arms. He chuckled, saying things like "I'm fine, mom, seriously!" and "Mom, it's getting hard to breathe. Can you let up a bit?" She smiled, relieved that her only son was safe, and hurried him inside the house.

Rachel, on the other hand, was nowhere near fine. She tried to be brave and struggled to keep from appearing weak but once her fathers left her hospital room to go get food, she let her façade slip and crumbled down. She let her head fall back onto her pillow, wet tears sliding from the corners of her eyes. She wasn't used to feeling like this. She was used to being Rachel Berry, the confident and determined future Broadway star. The girl who didn't care about what others thought of her, the girl who wouldn't let anything get in her way. But after the incident, she was reduced to this. A crying, pathetic mess. After the surgery, she was in pain and had to take loads of medication to get better but that wasn't the source of her crying. Rachel cried because she was simply afraid.

She didn't trust men anymore. After Jacob had restrained her to the chair at her own home, she wasn't sure if all men weren't douche bags. What if another person showed up at her house and forced her to endure another round of unwanted contact? What would stop them from doing that? Nothing.

The only person she found that she could trust was Finn. He knew what she had been though; after all, he had been there with her. She knew _he_ wouldn't take advantage of her. Relieved that there were still some people in her life that she could truly believe in, Rachel wiped her tears and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Sunday came and went quickly. Finn visited Rachel briefly that day. He had football practice and had to squeeze in time to do the homework he had been stalling. Rachel appreciated that Finn took time out of his hectic schedule to be with her. It just reaffirmed her beliefs that he could be trusted and that he did care. She realized that he was a pretty special guy.

Monday seemed to come sooner rather than later. Finn headed off to William McKinley High; Rachel was still stuck in the hospital. She was still attending therapy sessions but was already tired of the hospital and eager to get back into her normal everyday schedule.

Walking through the halls was strange for Finn. The news about Rachel and Jacob had spread fast like a wild fire; nothing could be kept secret for long even in a small town like Lima. Throughout the whole day, random students and teachers, whom he had never even spoken to, came up to him and tried to say comforting things. Even though Finn appreciated the kind gestures, he couldn't help but feel awkward being back at school while Rachel was still at the hospital.

Then it was time for Glee club. Walking down the hallway to the choir room, Finn debated over how to act. Should he act as if nothing had happened? Should he be himself, let the emotions that he had been feeling this whole day out? How would his fellow students, his friends, act? These questions ran through Finn's head, making him even more conflicted than before.

He had reached the end of the hallway and turned towards the choir room. Finn poked his head in the doorway and quickly walked towards a chair. Mr. Schuester was already giving a speech to the class about the importance of having fun while performing but once he spotted Finn coming in, Mr. Schue paused for a moment.

In order to make things a little less awkward, Finn mumbled a small "hi" and plopped down in a chair in the corner.

Mr. Schue sensed Finn's discomfort, pitying the poor boy, but continued nonetheless.

"Okay, well, now that we're all here, there's something I want to talk to you guys about. I'm sure you've all heard about Rachel." Everyone fidgeted uncomfortably, some looking down at their feet, others looking at Finn.

"I thought it would be a good idea to go to the hospital and cheer Rachel up by performing some of our songs. I've got the bus that Artie can ride in ready to go." He looked around at his students, motivating them some more. "Let's go you guys!" He motioned towards the door.

The kids nodded excitedly, determined to help Rachel feel better. The Glee clubbers hurriedly ran outside where their bus was waiting. Climbing aboard one by one, they chatted excitedly about the songs they were going to perform. No one would openly admit it but they did all love Rachel…deep, deep down. They were friends and they all helped each other up when one was down. This case was no different.

Rachel was propped up in bed, flipping absentmindedly through a magazine that she had no interest in. She sighed, bored out of her mind. She had only been in the hospital for a couple days and was already sick of lying in bed all day. _I can't wait to get out of here,_ she mumbled to herself.

All of a sudden, a loud knock on the door was heard, startling Rachel. She hastily straightened her covers and daintily crossed her fingers before saying "Come in!" to whoever was at the door.

She was pleasantly surprised to see her entire Glee club, all eleven of them plus one Mr. Schue, lined up to visit her. She grinned widely as they all filed into her small, and now suddenly cramped, room.

Finn moved towards the empty chair by Rachel's side, reclaiming his usual seat. As she walked towards Rachel's other side, Mercedes leaned over and touched Rachel's shoulder as a friendly gesture; Rachel smiled back in return. Tina and Kurt soon followed, scooting closer towards Rachel. Artie was forced to stay near the door as his wheelchair wouldn't allow him to move forward but he smiled nonetheless. Mike and Matt wandered towards the foot of Rachel's bed with Puck and Quinn behind them. Even Santana, linking arms with Brittany, advanced towards Rachel; she and Rachel were never the best of friends but she did feel for Rachel (even though she would never in a million years admit it). Mr. Schuester stood in the back corner of the room, beaming with pride as he saw each and every one of his Glee club members rally up in support of their fellow teammate and friend.

With one click of the stereo, Mr. Schue turned on the music. But just as Mercedes was about to belt out the first note, two men burst through the door, causing everyone to jump and stare at them.

They were Rachel's dads.

Leroy Berry looked surprised to see them all there and then guilty for ruining their special moment, but his news could not wait any longer.

"I'm sorry for interrupting but Rachel, sweetheart, there's something you should know."

"What is it Dad?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

Hiram Berry spoke up, "We just found out that Jacob's parents took his body in for an autopsy. It turns out that—"He hesitated for a moment before starting again. "It turns out that he had a tumor. It could have affected the way he was thinking."

Rachel felt everyone around her tense up but she was busy trying to wrap her head around this startling new piece of information.

"So…what you're saying…is that all of this…," Rachel moved her arms around in a circle for emphasis, "…wasn't Jacob's fault?"

"No."

* * *

**Gah, writer's block. Don't you hate them? Really sorry for the extremely choppy chapter! –scolds self- I was really apprehensive about writing about the Glee clubbers as you can probably tell! :p Next chapter will be much, much better :)**

**So at 2:45 am, my evil, twisted little mind comes up with a new plot twist that really changes things up a bit. I really, really hope you guys will like it. Just a sneak peek: it involves lots of danger, suspense, and Finchel! :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry, sorry, sorry about the late update! I was working on another story and was planning on posting this chapter on July 4****th**** but then an impromptu visit to see some relatives prevented that from happening. SORRY! –hides behind chair- Please don't hurt me!**

**As always, thanks for the reviews :) And I hope everyone from the US had a great Fourth of July! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee –insert witty comment here-**

Chapter 9

* * *

"A tumor? Are you sure?" Rachel repeated incredulously, waiting for the news to really sink in and hit home. It didn't.

The rest of Glee club had already headed back to school; they thought it would be best for Rachel to mull things over by herself and not with all of her classmates looking over her shoulder. She had muttered a small "thank you" before her friends left. She felt really bad that they came all this way just to leave again but she did appreciate the gesture. They had all waved goodbye as they exited the room, all except Finn. He had grabbed Rachel's hand, shaking it gingerly, and smiled at her. She had grinned back, feeling her cheeks go hot, and hoped no one had noticed.

Rachel's fathers, however, remained by her side, explaining to her how they found out and what this all entailed.

Hiram answered, "Yes, the doctor said the tumor was a large one to boot. It was pushing on his brain. That combined with the alcohol spells disaster."

Rachel nodded, looking down. She sat in silence, thinking things over in her head. Jacob wasn't in his right mind. The tumor, the alcohol. Yes, he was held accountable for making the decisions that he did but it didn't mean his parents were too. Rachel thought back to the time when Jacob's parents had left her room, clearly upset and hurt by her words. Jacob made his choices but his parents didn't exactly have a say, did they?

Once she finally thought she had a handle on the situation, she turned to her dads.

"Can I ask you guys a favor?"

"Sure, honey," Leroy replied gently.

"Anything. What is it?" Hiram asked.

"I want to make a phone call in private."

* * *

Jacob's parents, still mourning over the loss of their son, were at their home, which resembled a little cottage in the woods. Jacob's mother sat at the table in the kitchen, picking at her meal uninterestingly. Her husband sat directly across from her, scanning through a newspaper in order to keep his mind off of things. His eyes scoured through all of the articles, stopping when he saw a picture…of his son.

Jacob was part of the obituary.

Trying to hold back the sobs he felt were coming, Jacob's father hastily flipped the newspaper to a different page altogether. He didn't understand how his son could be so insensitive. Did he ever think what would happen to his family if he died? Why didn't he think of the repercussions? Sighing, Jacob's father tried to brush away the ill feelings towards his son; how could he hate his own son? He just wanted Jacob back.

A faint ringing could be heard in the distance and Jacob's dad realized that his phone was buzzing. After walking towards the source of the ringing, he held the phone up to his ear and said, "Hello?"

"Hello, Mr. Israel?" a tentative voice asked, "It's Rachel Berry. I wanted to talk to you and Mrs. Israel about something…that is…if you would care to listen."

"Of course, Rachel," he said, putting the phone on speaker phone so his wife could hear as well. He flailed his arms at her, motioning at her to come over. She quickly wobbled over to his side, intent on hearing what Rachel had to say.

"First of all, I want to apologize for earlier. I never meant to hurt your feelings in any way. I've had some time to think and I've realized that you aren't responsible for your son's actions." Rachel took a deep breath before continuing, "I heard about the tumor."

No one talked on the other end so Rachel decided to keep on rambling in order to fill up the open air, "I know you must be grieving and I know I probably haven't made it easy on you but I want you to know that…I forgive you. And I forgive Jacob. What he did to me was terrible and no one should ever have to go through that but this whole experience has taught me a valuable lesson: Life is fragile. I don't want to spend the rest of my life harboring any ill feelings. I don't want your lives to be filled with even more grief so I forgive you."

Jacob's mother piped up, "You really mean it?"

"I do."

* * *

Rachel sighed, putting down her phone on the table next to her, and lay back on her pillow. She knew she had done the right thing by forgiving Jacob's parents. They were already going through so much and she didn't want to add more misery onto heartbreak. She couldn't live with herself if she knew that another person was suffering on the inside because of her. Rachel could appear to be self absorbed and selfish at times but when it really came down to who she was as a person, Rachel did care about the feelings of others. She was relieved that she had finally achieved some closure with the whole Jacob situation.

She heard a light tapping at the door and looked over just in time to see Finn's large figure peer into the room. She chuckled and welcomed him in with open arms. He bent forward, leaning towards her body to give her a gentle hug. He looked all sweaty and Rachel deduced that he must have come back from basketball practice judging from all of the perspiration dotting his forehead and the basketball jersey he was sporting. Finn seemed to be slightly out of breath, probably from hurrying from school to the hospital. Rachel couldn't help but feel overjoyed at the fact that Finn had rushed over just to see her.

"How are you doing now?"

"Better, thanks. The doctors say I can go home in a few days."

"That's great!" He exclaimed, "You sure you can't come back sooner? Everyone's really missing you at school."

"Really?" she asked in disbelief. "Well, I might be more motivated to heal faster," she began jokingly but then grew more hesitant, "If there was someone worth coming back for…" She tried to egg Finn on, hoping to hear the answer she desperately wanted to hear.

"Well, there's Tina, Artie, Mercedes, Kurt…even Quinn said Glee club wasn't the same without you."

"Anyone else?" She inquired timidly.

"Yeah, um, Puck, Mike, Matt, Santana, Brittany..." Finn rambled, naming off his fellow classmates one by one, totally oblivious to Rachel's tip-off.

"Is that all?" She asked softly again, praying Finn would catch her drift. How obvious could she get?

"There's also Mr. Schue and Ms. P and oh..." Finn stopped suddenly.

"Ummm…" Finn uttered, looking down, finally realizing where Rachel was going. He reprimanded himself for feeling so embarrassed. _God, suck it up and tell her for heaven's sake! _

He took a deep breath, still titling his head down, unwilling to look her in the eyes out of fear for what her reaction would be. "Erm, there's always me…" he started to say tentatively.

Then feeling the courage build up inside of him and looking up so he would be able to see Rachel's expression, Finn stated in a firmer tone, "I want you to come back for me."

Finn was relieved to see Rachel with a cute little smile on her face before him. She opened her mouth, looking like she was about to say something, but let out an enormous yawn instead. She turned red almost immediately.

"Sorry, I guess I'm a bit worn out," she admitted.

"No worries. Get better soon okay?" he said, nodding at Rachel, ruffling her hair some. Finn felt a tiny object in his hand and, upon looking down, realized it was Rachel's hand.

She murmured softly into her pillow, "I'll try…"

Rachel tried desperately to keep herself awake; she thought it would be rude to fall asleep in front of company but she couldn't help herself. She felt her eyelids droop, the drugs in her IV obviously doing their job. A yawn escaped her lips one more time but this time she couldn't even muster the strength to excuse herself. The last thing she felt before succumbing to sleep was someone softly giving her a peck on her forehead. Rachel smiled for a brief second and then nestled her head farther into her pillow, consciousness fleeing from her body.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another house on the other side of town, a young boy sat down at his wooden desk with a letter clutched tightly in his hands. He had rather messy light brown hair that covered his green eyes and freckles around his cheeks. He was a gangly sixteen year old kid who was used to being labeled as a loser at his high school. All of the abuse had transformed him into a stony-faced and jaded person, sick of the way he was being treated.

The sky was pitch-black and rain could be heard pitter pattering on his window. A bright flash of light streaked across the sky as a loud crack of thunder resonated through the air, startling the boy. He flattened the letter on his desk and could barely read the writing that seemed to have been hurriedly scrawled in ink. He read it silently and slowly to himself. It said,

_Dear Seth,_

_I guess this is it. I've hatched a genius plan in order for me to get the girl I want. I'm going to go for it on Friday when her parents aren't around. I hope it all goes according to plan. I can't let you in on all of the details but I just wanted you to know that my plan might have some flaws. It could be potentially life threatening. You're my best friend; you've been my best friend ever since we were little. Remember that time at my house when we were ten? We made a pact that we would be like brothers. __Brothers stick by each other when things get rough. _They would do anything for each other. I'm asking you to do something for me now. Like I said before, I could potentially die trying to get the girl of my dreams; there is a gun involved. If I do die during my quest, I have only one request. Kill Rachel Berry. Please don't tell anyone about this. No one can know. This is just between you and me. She has to die. Trust me. It'll be the only way for me to find peace.

_Jacob_

The boy quickly crumpled up the letter and tossed it into his trash can. He started to think about Jacob, his only friend, his best friend...no, his deceased best friend. They were inseparable ever since they were born. They would hang out at each other's houses on the weekends. When school and the bullies were too much to handle, they knew they could count on each other for strength and support. Since they went to different schools, they didn't have to opportunity to stick up for each other in the hallways. Instead, they were forced to suffer during school and vented all of their frustrations out on each other later either over the phone or face to face. Jacob had really helped Seth out in times of trouble. Jacob was his savior. If it wasn't for him, Seth would be completely lost and confused.

Seth looked up with a new determination sparkling in his eyes.

It was now his turn to repay Jacob for all of his past kindness. He had mourned over Jacob's death but was now reinvigorated to do what Jacob failed to do. He was going to carry out Jacob's dying wish.

He would make sure of it.

* * *

**PLOT TWIST! :D I hope it was worth the wait. :) I know it's kinda short (I've set a goal to make my chapters longer) but I hope you guys enjoyed anyway. I ended the Jacob twist earlier in order to get some closure with that plot. Now onto a new phase! **

**-pokes you- Review please? Pwetty please? ;) I'd really appreciate them! :) (Can you tell I'm obsessed with making smiley faces? Ha!)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Yay, 100 reviews passed! Woot, woot! Excuse me while I celebrate. —dances wildly around the room— Can you tell I'm really excited? Originally, when I first started this story, I was crossing my fingers for 100 reviews but I seriously doubted that I would be even close. Fast forward to now and I've reached it, all thanks to my wonderful supporters! :D If I could hug every single one of you, I seriously would. :) But seeing as I can't, this chapter is for you! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Wondering if I have to keep writing this…I don't own Glee!**

Chapter 10

* * *

The day finally came for Rachel to be discharged from the hospital. She was especially delighted to get out of the old itchy hospital gowns and back to her argyle sweaters and short skirts. After being in the hospital for what seemed like an eternity, she wasn't sure what her old house would look like. Actually, the more she thought about it, she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back home. Of course she was sick of the hospital…but would home be that much better? Home meant having to remember her tragic experience, to relive everything. She quickly brushed her anxiety and uncertainty behind and cleared her mind, trying to focus on the present.

Her doctor had told her that she was allowed to leave the hospital at precisely 10 pm. He wanted to keep her for one last day to make sure she was fully recovered and to run some last minute tests. Although she had gotten used to having IVs being inserted into her arm, she grimaced at the thought of having to endure through one more day of tests. What did the doctors really need them for anyway?

The day inched by slowly as nurses came and left her room, taking _her_ blood with them. They measured her blood pressure and made sure that her heart was receiving enough oxygen. It was all routine to her now. After the whirlwind of tests, Rachel collapsed onto her bed, tired from all of the activity. She tucked a pillow under her head and curled up in a comfortable position.

_Maybe one last little nap wouldn't hurt_, she thought, as she quietly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Seth paced around his room, walking back and forth from one end of his room to the other. His mind was racing and positively brimming with different ideas. He was feeling a tad bit guilty and doubtful of what he could achieve but he knew in his mind that he had to go through with it…for Jacob. That was his motto. He had to fulfill Jacob's order. It was the only way he could ever repay his best friend for everything he had done for him.

He sat down at his desk and turned towards his laptop which was already on. Seth quickly typed in the phrase "Rachel Berry Lima Ohio" in a search engine. 198,000 results in .33 seconds. He scanned the list of articles that popped up on his screen. _Local teen shot by fellow classmate, In critical condition_. Seeing as the article was posted on the day of the shooting, he automatically clicked on the link and read the words on the page.

Seth scanned through the piece of writing, scouring it until he found the information he needed.

_After being shot by her sophomore classmate, Jacob Ben-Israel, sixteen year old Rachel Berry is undergoing surgery for the gunshot wound she is carrying. Currently being treated at Lima Memorial Hospital, Berry is said to be in critical condition…_

Seth chuckled to himself, laughing at how manageable it was nowadays to find the information he needed. _Lima Memorial Hospital, huh?_ It was almost too easy.

Seth waited in his room until he heard the sound of his parents' footsteps leaving the front door. A "Bye Seth! We'll be back soon!" and a loud thump confirmed the fact that his parents were indeed gone and that he had the house to himself. Seth immediately ran downstairs and peeked through the window curtains to make sure his mom didn't forget her keys and come bursting back in. He saw the back of their silver Prius dash down the driveway and skirt around the corner, laughing with glee once the vehicle disappeared.

Running into the kitchen, Seth fumbled through the drawers, opening every cabinet he could find. He didn't care if he made a racket; he was on a mission to find the key component of his master plan. Suddenly, he spotted what he was looking for. A box of matches.

Grabbing the little, yet dangerous, package in his hand, Seth yanked his coat from his closet and ran out the front door. He pulled open the door of his shiny blue Camry and stepped into the driver's seat, backing out of the driveway as quickly as possible. Then putting the car into drive, Seth sped away towards Lima Memorial, intent on carrying out Jacob's order.

* * *

Seth soon arrived at the hospital. He placed the box of matches into his coat pocket before strolling through the hospital doors, whistling nonchalantly as he went in with his hands buried in his pants pockets. He coolly walked to the receptionist and asked in a very (almost suspiciously) polite manner, "Excuse me. Sorry for bothering you. Do you know which room Rachel Berry is in?"

"Umm, yeah, hold on one sec," the receptionist replied hastily, obviously caught up in her own problems. She seemed like she was busy, frantically looking through files and tabs of information. She quickly glanced at her computer.

"She's in room 254," the receptionist said quickly, not paying attention to the young teenager in her midst. She assumed he was simply a friend and did not pay any more attention to him.

"Thank you," Seth replied, trying to be as sweet as possible. He slipped away and headed up the elevator to Rachel's room. Trying to make sure he was not seen, he stealthily crept from door to door, hiding behind corners or walls whenever he heard someone coming. He realized some medical professionals might have caught a glimpse of him but he wanted to keep his profile on the down low. Finally he reached room 254. Fumbling through his coat pockets, Seth pulled out a golden brass lock, raising it up in the air so he could admire it. He had been saving that baby for a special occasion; it was a gift from Jacob. He never had a use for it but here was the perfect opportunity! Seth swiftly looped the lock through the latch on Rachel's door and inserted the cam of his lock into the hole so that the door was bolted shut. He wiggled the lock a few times in order to make sure it wouldn't give and slyly ran away.

Seth didn't stop running until he reached a deserted hallway in the hospital, bending down with his hands on his knees and panting like mad when he was finally alone. Adrenaline surged through his body, stimulating him. He had never committed such a "bad boy" crime before and actually doing it was thrilling to him. But it wasn't over yet.

He found a seemingly empty closet and ran in, shutting the door behind him. Whipping out the match box and pulling out a single match, he struck the head of the stick against the side of the box. A bright orange yellow flame exploded from the tip of the match, flickering and illuminating the wide grin on Seth's face. Very carefully opening the door wide enough so that he could later slip through, Seth placed the burning match under the wooden door, its white paint beginning to chip off. Once the fire caught, Seth lit another match and set it on the ground to ensure the flames wouldn't just die out. Dashing out the door, Seth ran until he reached the end of the abandoned hallway. With one last glance at the closet, which was now aflame, he ran like he never ran before.

* * *

Finn was chilling back at home with his feet propped up on the table in front of him, a bag of chips in one hand and a can of soda in the other. He watched the television enthusiastically, standing up and whooping with joy when his favorite football team scored a touchdown. Potato chip crumbs tumbled off of his shirt and onto the ground but Finn was too caught up in the game to notice. With a plop, he fell back down onto the couch, now staring intently at the star quarterback who had just thrown the football to his teammate. The ball soared through the air, about to land in other player's hands, but a sudden tackle from the opposing team resulted in a failure for any player to catch the ball. Finn groaned with disappointment and tipped the can of soda towards his lips. Suffice to say, he was thoroughly upset when he discovered that there was not a drop of liquid left in the bottle. He grumbled to himself and walked over to his kitchen to grab another can.

Once in the kitchen, Finn reached to open the refrigerator. He stopped suddenly when he saw the calendar (located on the fridge) with a date repeatedly circled in black ink. He glanced at the date. It was today.

_Crap!_ he thought to himself, _Today's the day Rachel leaves the hospital. I promised I'd pick her up since her dads were busy!_

Finn quickly snatched the keys that had been hanging on the hook by the door and rushed into his truck. He sped away, hoping Rachel wouldn't be too mad if he was late.

As Finn neared the hospital, he could tell something was amiss...though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Pressing a button positioned on the inside of the car door, Finn was able to make his window slide down and he swore he could smell something burning. It smelled familiar…like that time when he had _tried_ to grill steak but ended up charring the meat so that it was completely burnt black and ashy. Except this time (unbeknownst to him) the stakes were much, much greater.

When the hospital came into view, Finn realized where the smell came from and felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach.

The hospital. Ablaze.

Dense smoke, menacing and ominous, billowed from the building, a pall enveloping what used to be a very busy hospital. The angry fire blazed through windows, consuming everything in its path. From a distance, Finn could hear the sound of sirens gradually growing louder and louder. But he wasn't concerned about that.

He was worried about Rachel. Where is she? Did she get out? Is she safe? Is trapped in the hospital? Is she hurt?

Finn parked his car down the street and ran over to the hospital. He towered over the crowds of people there, some of whom were sobbing, and some of whom were slightly burned and bruised. He tried to spot Rachel in the mess but he couldn't. Running all over the place, Finn bumped into a lady whose head was turned away from him but who had the same long, chestnut brown hair as Rachel. Finn thought it was like a stroke of good luck; he had finally come across Rachel!

"Hey Rach!" he called, tapping the girl lightly on the shoulder.

The girl turned and Finn felt his whole world come crashing down in an instant. It wasn't Rachel. The girl tilted her head, looking at him in a confused manner.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else," he muttered, resuming his search for Rachel. After countless minutes of trying to find her in the mob of people, Finn reluctantly gave up and resorted to using technology. Pulling out his cell phone, Finn scrolled down his list of contacts until he reached Rachel's name. He dialed her number and the phone rang several times before going to her voicemail.

Finn gave out a small cry, frustrated that Rachel wasn't picking up. Where the hell was she? He tore over to the other side of the hospital where he knew the window of Rachel's room was located. Spotting a couple of pebbles on the ground, Finn began frantically chucking them at the window in case Rachel was still in her room. The rocks clinked as they came in contact with the glass and swiftly fell back down to the ground.

Having heard a repetitive tinkling sound, Rachel awoke with a startle, but her hands immediately went to her throat as soon as she opened her eyes. Thick, cloudy smoke had permeated her entire room, clouding her vision. She blinked a couple times before realizing the seriousness of the situation. The freakin' hospital was on fire! She hastily jumped out of bed and lunged for the door. She tried twisting and pulling the knob but, to her horror, discovered that her door was stuck and wouldn't budge.

"HELP!" she cried out desperately, pounding on the door with her fists, "ANYONE?" She grew more frantic by the second, "HELP!"

Suddenly she heard someone shout, bringing her out of her panic attack. She whipped her head around and realized it was…coming from the window?

Rachel moved towards the window and saw Finn standing right below it. A familiar face! Working as fast as she possibly could, Rachel unfastened the latch that had locked the glass in place and slid open the window.

Finn called to her from down below, relieved that she was still alive, "Rachel! You have to get out of there now!"

"I can't!" she shouted back, "The door's stuck!"

"Try again!" he urged, desperate for her to get out safe and sound.

Rachel raced back to her door and with both hands on the knob, heaved with all of her might. The door opened a crack and it was then when Rachel noticed that her door had been fastened securely with a shiny golden lock. She tried to reach her hand through the sliver of an opening but quickly withdrew it when she felt immense heat and pain radiating through her hand. She shook her hand a couple times and glanced at it; her palm was red from where the flames had grazed her. Rachel clenched her hand into a fist, trying to block out the stinging sensation. And as if the burn wasn't enough, the smoke all of a sudden became too much to handle; she coughed violently, her lungs aching for some fresh air. Rachel crumbled onto the ground on her knees, the acrid smoke choking her, preventing her from breathing properly. She coughed again, this time even more harshly. However, with danger looming so close, Rachel, in pure desperation, forced herself to get up and move.

Stumbling back to the window, she cried, "Someone's locked my door! I can't get out!"

Someone could have been tearing Finn's heart apart and scattering them across the globe, he felt so helpless and his heart wrenched in desperation and pain. He tried to come up with a solution but he was running out of time. He didn't want to waste any time running to the firefighters and paramedics all the way of the other side of the hospital. It would be much too late by then; Rachel's room would most definitely be in flames.

An idea popped into his mind but he doubted if it would work as it was extremely risky; however, even though it was a gamble, he knew Rachel would perish if he didn't act soon. Finn's face grew grave as he stated in a serious tone, "You have to jump."

"WHAT?" Rachel practically screamed at him in disbelief.

"Rach, it's the only way! You're only two stories up! I'll catch you I _promise_." He looked up at her with complete and utter sincerity, "Trust me."

Rachel saw the authenticity (tinted with a shade of fear) in his eyes and knew that Finn would never do anything to hurt her. He was the guy who stayed by her throughout all of the obstacles she had been through. She knew in her heart that Finn wouldn't let her down now. She had to believe in him and take a giant leap of faith.

Rachel slowly staggered up onto the edge of the window, keeping her knees on the windowsill. Tightly grasping the sides of the window frame (her knuckles were white with fear), she slowly moved her legs so that she was crouching down with her feet on the edge. The heat from the room soon became unbearable and from the corner of her eye she could see the door of her room catching on fire. It was now or never.

She glanced back down at Finn and saw him holding out his arms, ready to catch her. Closing her eyes, Rachel took in a deep breath of air and, with one great push from her legs, she jumped.

* * *

**Are you guys sick of the suspenseful cliffies yet? :p I feel like I have them after every chapter but hey, it's become my personal style haha. Hope this one keeps you on the edge of your seat! I really liked writing this chapter (it's my first 3000+ words chapter too!) and I hope you guys like reading it! Evil Seth…tsk tsk…**

**On another note in case you are a bit skeptic, the whole sleeping through smoke/fire thing is totally realistic. I didn't believe it before but trust me, I've experienced it firsthand as well as heard true stories about it so that's where I'm drawing it from...**

**On a slightly happier note, reviews are always appreciated! Help me make it to 200 soon hehe! :) Thanks!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay, so I'm trying to start a new tradition. I want to personally respond to everyone who reviews because I think you all deserve something for taking the time to tell me what you liked (or didn't like) about my story. If you didn't get a PM, check your email. :) As always, thanks for your reviews! And also thanks to the many favorites and alerts :D So nice!**

**Disclaimer: Glee isn't mine. Not even one teeny tiny bit. But Seth is! :D**

Chapter 11

* * *

Rachel felt a gush of wind fly past her as she plummeted like a rock down towards the hard cement pavement, her hair streaming behind her. She clenched her eyes, pressing down harder than before, fearing what would happen if Finn didn't catch her. Meeting concrete did not sound like such a pleasant idea.

But it was all over before she knew it.

Rachel landed a pair of perfectly strong, muscular arms and was immediately crushed in a cradling embrace. Her neck fit perfectly into the crook of Finn's elbow and her legs dangled off of his left arm. She felt so safe and secure once he held her close to his chest.

Finn fell to his knees, still grasping tightly onto Rachel. He placed her gently on the ground where she immediately leaned in and gave Finn a huge hug, throwing her arms around his neck. He in turn wrapped one arm around her waist, giving her a tight squeeze.

"Are you okay?" Finn asked worriedly, stroking her hair while still holding onto her body.

"Yeah, all thanks to you." She smiled, snuggling her head deeper into the side of his neck, not willing to let go of him.

"God, you scared me Rach," he said, finally pulling away from the hug. He raised her chin with his index finger. "You've been doing that a lot lately." Finn chuckled as he took Rachel's hand and put it on his chest.

"Listen," he instructed softly. She felt his heart beat rapidly, pounding like crazy, almost ready to jump out of his chest.

She smiled and slowly took her hand off of Finn's chest but Finn suddenly caught her by the wrist, turning her hand over to reveal her now blistering palm. Skin was starting to peel off ever so slightly, her skin bright red.

"I thought you said you weren't hurt!" he said alarmed, gently taking her hand in his to examine the damage.

"It's nothing. It barely even stings," Rachel lied, trying to pull back her hand. In all honesty, she had forgotten about the burn, but now as she focused on it more, she all of a sudden became aware of the throbbing pain surging through her palm.

Finn grabbed her other hand and helped Rachel stand up, leading her over to the other side of the hospital towards the paramedics. Running up to a man in a blue uniform marked with a red cross, Finn asked if they could help Rachel's burn. The paramedic took one look at the nasty burn and immediately ushered Rachel towards a swarm of EMTs, all of whom were busily treating various burns and cuts.

One paramedic gingerly held Rachel's hand, washing the burn down with cool water in a bucket nearby. Rachel let her hand soak in the water, the pain not completely subsiding. However, Rachel wasn't thinking about the pain or about herself. She was worried about the other patients who had been in the hospital too. What happened to them? Were they all safe? Did they all get out? She glanced worryingly at Finn who had his arm draped around her shoulder, tenderly stroking her upper arm with his thumb. He made eye contact with her, curious as to why she seemed so concerned.

"Rach, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing," she lied again, shaking her head. She didn't want to seem weak or anxious in front of Finn.

He, however, could see through her thin veneer and knew that there was something on Rachel's mind that she wasn't telling him.

"Seriously Rachel," he said in a firm yet gentle tone, "I know something's bothering you. Why won't you tell me what's the matter?"

"I'm just worried, Finn. What if there are still people trapped inside? For that brief moment in that hospital room, with no one there to help me, no one to talk to, I thought that was it." She grew quiet before saying, "I thought I was going to _die_. I can't imagine anyone having to go through the same thing! They might be dying in there Finn!" She grew more hysterical, tears welling up in her eyes, ready to spill out at any second.

"Don't worry, Rach," he comforted, pulling her close to him. He leaned his head on top of hers and rubbed her back soothingly.

"I have to go make sure no one else is trap—ow!" She winced as the paramedic cleaned out her wound. "Will you come with me?"

"Of course, I'm surprised you even had to ask."

Afterwards, the paramedic squeezed a creamy, white substance onto a piece of gauze and wrapped the bandage securely around Rachel's hand. She thanked the paramedic and quickly walked away with Finn.

Suddenly she heard a low voice, booming over the crowd. "Berry, Rachel?" Rachel's head turned to the sound of whoever was calling her name; it was odd, she didn't recognize this voice at all. The voice cried out again, "Is Rachel Berry here?"

Dragging Finn along with her, Rachel soon found out where the sound was coming from. A police man, dressed in a dark blue uniform adorned with various badges and pins, clutched a clipboard and a pen, crossing off the names of patients who were registered at the hospital.

Rachel walked up to the man as he turned to stare at her. "I'm Rachel Berry," she stated.

"Oh good, thank you," he replied as he drew a line over her name.

"Can I ask what you're doing?" Rachel spoke up, confused.

"Making sure everyone is accounted for," the officer replied before bellowing out another name, "Stewart, Ryan? Has anyone seen a Ryan Stewart?" He looked back at Rachel before continuing, "Someone apparently thought it would be a fun trick to light the hospital on fire. It's bad luck that the fire alarms hadn't been checked for years; they were broken. Fortunately a nurse was nearby and spotted the fire before it got too out of hand. Now we need to make sure every patient is safe…how did you get out may I ask?"

"I jumped out."

The police officer looked at her in total shock, his eyebrows arched, his eyes glancing back and forth between Rachel and Finn.

Finn pointed to himself, as if the police officer needed more help piecing the clues together, "I caught her."

"Thank you Captain Obvious," Rachel whispered, giggling softly.

The police officer was still staring disbelievingly at the two teens so Rachel decided to elaborate, "I was in a room on the second floor and I woke up to smoke in my room. I tried to open the door but it was locked. That's when I burned myself." She lifted up her bandaged hand and kept talking, "Lucky for me, Finn was right there below my window and I jumped."

"W-w-wait," the police officer stuttered, "The door was locked?"

She nodded her head slowly, wondering why the officer was so confused. She had assumed that a doctor had locked her door because it was nearing night time…

"The doors are never locked. I've been helping out this hospital for over ten years. Not once have doctors ever been permitted to lock the patients' doors."

"So what are you saying?" Finn protectively rested an arm around Rachel's shoulders.

"I'm not quite sure just yet. I'll promise to look into it, okay? Now you kids better get home. Your parents might be worried."

"Thanks officer."

* * *

Seth sat wide-eyed as he watched the news program, the reporter busily explaining what had expired at Lima Memorial. Grabbing the remote, he turned up the volume in order to hear the report more clearly.

_What appears to have been a mere accident at Lima Memorial Hospital may have actually been an act of treason. Though the fire destroyed all of the video cameras inside the hospital, one hidden camera outside revealed footage of a young boy running out of the building just before the fire broke out. Because his back was the only thing caught on tape, we do not know his identity nor do we have any confirmation if that boy is responsible. _

The reported suddenly placed her hand next to earpiece she was wearing.

_We have just been informed that no one died in the fire. Only a few had minor burns and everyone was able to escape the deadly flames. If you have any information that might be helpful about this case, please call the phone number below or the police. Back to y-_

Seth cursed under his breath as he quickly turned off his television with a flick of his remote, stomping back to his room instead. He barged into his room, slamming the door shut with the heel of his foot. Seth was frustrated that after all he done, Rachel Berry was still alive and he was back to square one. And now, on top of all things, he had been spotted and caught on a dumb security tape! Seth muttered angrily under his breath. He thought he had been so careful! Obviously, he was wrong.

Onto Plan B. At least now he knew what changes had to be made in order for his plan to be successful. He had to corner Rachel alone, that was for sure. That would be the only way to ensure that he could finish the job once and for all. A wave of different possibilities flooded his mind; however, he decided to wait a few days in order to spy on Rachel and fully understand in what ways he could trap her.

After throwing away the leftover box of matches and washing all of his clothes in a method to remove all of the possible evidence, Seth jumped into the shower. He felt the hot water stream down his back, calming him down. His muscles relaxed under the downpour of water as he felt his worry wash down the drain. All of the fear and trepidation he had seemed to have simply disappeared as the water continued to gush down all over his body. He massaged his hair with shampoo and very slowly lathered his body with soap. Seth didn't want to ever get out of the shower. He felt so serene and careless and at peace as the water cascaded down him. After forty long, blessed minutes in the shower, he unwillingly turned the spout off and grabbed a towel from the rack to dry himself off.

Slowly trudging back to bed, Seth climbed in, covering himself with his large quilt. He rested his head on his pillow, wondering why Jacob's last wish had to come to this. Seth wasn't a particularly violent person but he was probably the most devoted and loyal friend one could have. So if Jacob wanted it, Jacob would get it. After a few minutes, Seth fell asleep, dreaming about the ways he could finally get to Rachel Berry and make his friend proud.

* * *

Finn opened the door for Rachel and she graciously stepped into the passenger seat of his truck. After buckling her seat belt, Rachel took some time to observe the inside of his truck.

"Sorry, it's a bit messy," Finn stated when he saw Rachel looking around, "I didn't have the time to clean it."

Messy was an understatement. Empty Pepsi cans sat in all four of the cup holders, papers were strewn on the back seat as if they were of no use, and balled up grease stained napkins had been carelessly tossed on the floor. Rachel saw a glint of what looked to be a magazine stuffed under her seat. Picking it up, she realized she had stumbled upon a Playboy magazine.

She raised her eyebrows at Finn, holding up the magazine and trying to suppress her giggles. She saw Finn's eyes widen as he chuckled nervously, his cheeks flushed red.

"Oh that's Puck's," he said hastily, snatching the magazine from her hands and throwing it behind his seat.

"I see," Rachel said, laughing, amused at how quickly his face could change color.

Finn, keen to change the conversation, nudged her with his shoulder and said, "C'mon, let's get you home." And with that, he drove away out onto the street and into the vibrant pink sunset.

* * *

After a short ride, Finn pulled up onto Rachel's driveway, unlocking Rachel's door and escorting her out. They linked arms and ambled up towards the front door. Just as Finn was about to insert the key into the lock, Rachel put her hand out, stopping Finn from opening the door.

"Where'd you get that?" She glanced at the key in Finn's hand.

"Your dads gave it to me." Finn earnestly moved towards the door once again but Rachel grabbed his shirt, pulling him back towards her.

"No, they wouldn't do that without telling me. They're very protective of their little star."

"Well, that's exactly what happened." Finn put his hands up in the air as if he was caught by a cop.

"You're up to something Hudson. I know it."

"Now, why would you say that?" He grinned widely, dragging Rachel up onto the porch with him.

Rachel eyed him suspiciously. Something was up and it was killing her that she didn't know what. Finn slid the key into its slot and twisted the knob, opening the door for Rachel. She unsuspectingly stepped in the room, only to be welcomed by a loud "WELCOME HOME RACHEL!" combined with a mixture of different party horns and noisemakers.

Her jaw dropped and if it wasn't for Finn's gentle shove into the room, Rachel was pretty sure she would have stood in the doorway with her mouth agape the entire time. Colorful streamers were strung across the ceiling, pink balloons floated freely through the air, and a huge banner that read "Welcome Home Rachel" with gold stars on each side tied the scene together. Every single one of the Glee club members had their heads poking out from various hiding positions. Mike and Matt had somehow squeezed their way into a closet, while Puck and Quinn were hiding on the staircase, peeking out from behind a wall that had shielded their bodies from view. Artie had maneuvered his wheelchair behind a potted plant. Tina, Kurt, and Mercedes were concealed by the couch while Santana and Brittany were lying down under a table, snuggling as close as humanly possible to each other so they would not be seen.

Rachel let out a barely audible high pitched squeal as she turned to face Finn who was still standing by her side. Finn reached out his arms, presuming Rachel would be all over him and give him another hug. Her reaction was not what he was expecting.

She slapped his chest playfully, and pointed a finger at him. "You knew about this all along and you never told me?"

"Well that would ruin the whole point of a surprise party," he laughed.

"Still…you could have at least warned me or something…"

Kurt piped up, "Where's the fun in that?" He walked over to Rachel and gave her a tight squeeze, "Nice to have you back."

"It's nice to be back. I've missed you all so much." She turned towards her fellow classmates, immediately going into what everyone dubbed as 'Rachel Berry mode', "How's Glee club been? Are we prepared for sectionals? Do we have the songs picked out? What about the choreography? I'm sure I can whip one up in a jiffy if you're not ready. It's _imperative_ that we start rehearsing immediately."

"Calm down Rachel," Mercedes joked as she came up to give Rachel a hug, "You know us. We've got it covered…ish."

Rachel raised a skeptical eyebrow at her and let out a tiny laugh. Despite her concerns about sectionals, she couldn't deny that it felt so great to finally be reunited with friends who seemed like they truly cared about her.

After Rachel was welcomed by all of her New Directions' comrades, her friends shooed her into the kitchen where she was met with a table absolutely stuffed with food like a buffet. The Glee clubbers had each brought a different dish for the occasion, just like a potluck. Quinn brought in her homemade casserole. Puck decided that he would bring some potato pancakes so he and Rachel could flaunt their good-lookin'-Jew-ness together. Mike brought corn on the cob while the meat dishes (for the non vegans…basically everyone _besides_ Rachel) were delivered by Matt. Santana volunteered to bring salad with a side of Sue Sylvester's Master Cleanse (including the teaspoon of sand). Kurt brought in a bowl of mixed berries, which he insisted was good for one's skin. Tina and Mercedes baked batches of cookies and brownies for the dessert. Brittany forgot to bring anything.

Rachel was floored, so grateful that she had so many wonderful friends who would do this for her. She slowly turned to Finn and saw him nod, unbeknownst to everyone else. She nodded back, knowing that he was trying to signal a message to her: they would keep the whole fire incident on the down low so everyone could enjoy themselves and not have to worry about anything.

The party soon commenced as everyone began to pile food onto their plates, eager to chow down the feast held before them. Once they all found their seats around the dining room table, the teenagers began busily chatting and gossiping about the latest scandals. Rachel picked at her food, not really hungry after the day's events.

"C'mon Rachel. You got to eat something," Finn remarked, already on his third plate.

"I'm not that hungry right now. I just want to spend some time with my friends." She gave him a small smile.

He smiled back, accepting her decision, and engaged in the discussion at the table. The kids babbled on and on, eating heartily as they went.

"Mmm, this casserole is really good!"

"Did you know that I stole Ms. Sylvester's diary? It's right here, look…"

"Whoever made these brownies, I just wanted to say that I love you…"

Brittany whispered to Santana, "Where's the birthday cake?" She tilted her head sideways like a confused puppy as Santana shook her head and shrugged her off as usual.

Finn raised his cup in the air, prepared to give a toast. He tried clinking his glass with his fork like in the movies but as soon as he jerked his hand, the fork flew up in the air, cartwheeling past Kurt's head (who let out a shrill shriek) and landing with a thud on the ground.

"Oops," he said, embarrassed. He saw everyone's wide eyed stares and noted positively, "At least I got your attention!"

Turning to look at Rachel, he began his speech, "I think I can speak for everyone when I say that I'm so incredibly glad that you're with us today Rach. You have got to be one of the strongest people I know and I just wanted to take this time to make sure _you_ knew that too. Here's to you and Glee club!"

Rachel blushed feverously as everyone clinked their glasses in approval. She simply responded with a small "thanks everyone" as the kids began attacking their plates of food.

* * *

Kurt rubbed his full belly, "I'm stuffed. I'm pretty sure I ate my weight in corn."

Brittany's ears perked as she added, drifting off day dreamily, "I once ate an acorn…"

Kurt glanced at her strangely for a second and then moved on, "I brought my karaoke machine and facial kit. I thought we could all enjoy music and exfoliate our skin at the same time!" He grinned as he lifted up a bottle of moisturizing cream and a towelette.

Some nodded while others stared at the boy in shock and horror. Nevertheless, all of the Glee clubbers left the dining room table and congregated in the family room where the karaoke machine was positioned.

Finn picked up one of the two microphones, holding out the other one and gesturing for Rachel to do the same. Gratefully accepting the device from Finn's hand, she stepped right beside him, poised to sing her heart out. Mercedes jumped over and clicked the play button on the karaoke machine. Immediately a familiar tune flowed through the air, enticing everyone to sing along.

"_Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world…"_

_

* * *

_

**No cliffy for the first time ever! Aren't you proud? xD But trust me, the cliffies will return…with a vengeance! I just thought a sweeter ending was well deserved. Yeah, sorry if the Glee club's a bit OOC (especially Brittany). I tried :/ I wasn't happy about this chapter but here it is anyway. I hope it wasn't too bad. **

**Random but can anybody guess the two references in this chapter? I just felt like including them and I'm wondering if any of you Gleeks can figure it out (I bet all of you can :p)! **

**Please review**** and make me a happy-go-lucky gal! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**So many of you recognized that I included Chris Colfer's tweet regarding the massive amount of corn he managed to consume during the 4****th**** of July! Nice work! **** The other reference was Rachel's "Captain Obvious" remark and Finn pointing to himself. Cory called himself "Captain Obvious" in an interview with Lea in Australia. I had just rewatched that interview so I guess it was fresh in my mind when I wrote chapter 11, haha. **

**Enjoy my Finchelly chapter. And yes, I just said Finchelly. :) **

**Disclaimer: Give me a G! G! Give me an L! L! Give me an E! E! Give me an E! E! Put it all together and what does it spell? GLEE…is not mine!**

Chapter 12

* * *

Seth moaned as the sun's bright beams penetrated his window, blinding him when he tried to open his eyes. He reluctantly tossed off his covers and tottered towards his dresser to get ready for the day's events. Seth had it all planned out. First, he would drive past the Berrys' home a couple of times, just to get a feel of the place. Maybe he would find some sort of clue there, something he could twist in order to get some alone time with Rachel.

After rapidly brushing his teeth and slipping on a simple blue tee with brown shorts, Seth hurried out the door without even saying a word to his parents. Jacob had included Rachel's address in the letter so Seth immediately jumped into the car and drove off in search of the Berrys' residence.

Nothing would stop him from reaching his goal.

Nothing.

* * *

Finn awoke to the shrill chirps of young birds, squawking for food from their mama. He wearily rubbed his eyes and tried to lift his left arm to tousle his hair but he stopped once he saw that Rachel had rested her head on his chest. He carefully extracted his arm from under Rachel who was still sleeping. Finn brushed his disheveled hair out of his face as he tried to recount what had expired last night…

* * *

Finn waved good-bye as his Glee club friends left Rachel's house one by one, sighing when he finally shut the door once Brittany had remembered how to leave. He whipped around to see Rachel, sitting on the couch, stroking her bandaged hand.

"Hey," he comforted as he took the seat right next to her, "Is it bothering you?"

"It just stings. That's all," Rachel replied simply, still staring down at her hand. She turned to face Finn, her face full of insecurity with a hint of sadness.

"I guess you're going to want to leave now, huh?"

"Not if you don't want me to." Finn reached over and rubbed her hand gently.

"You probably wouldn't want to stay here with me."

"Why not?"

"Hello? I'm Rachel Berry, future star and a complete nobody at school."

"When are you going to understand?" He shook his head at her.

Rachel cocked her head slightly, a tiny bit offended that there was something she wasn't getting and curious as to what he knew more than her.

"Your reputation doesn't _mean_ anything to me. You know what? I've changed my mind. I'm spending the night here," Finn stated boldly. Rachel looked at him wide-eyed.

"What?"

"I don't want you to be alone tonight. I mean your dads aren't going to be back until tomorrow morning and who knows what'll happen if you're here alone again?" He hesitated for a moment, uncertain if Rachel reciprocated the feelings he had for her, "I mean, unless you'd rather stay here by your—"

"Thanks Finn," Rachel interrupted quietly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a tiny peck on the cheek. He felt his face turn red for the second time in one day as he heard her whisper into his ear, "You're a great knight in shining armor."

She yawned as she pulled away, beginning to drift off the sleep from the activity of the day's happenings. Her head fell on Finn's shoulder, her eyelids beginning to droop. Finn bent over and murmured in her ear, "And I'll always be just that. No matter what."

Rachel soon fell asleep with Finn on the couch. Not wanting to disturb her, Finn carefully moved out of his seat and tucked an arm under Rachel's legs. With his other arm supporting her behind her shoulders, Finn gently lifted the sleeping girl in his arms. He carried her up the stairs, not being able to resist from staring at her face the whole time. It was the picture of sweet and innocent, the definition of pure serenity. Making sure not to wake her up, Finn's arms grasped Rachel tightly until he reached her bedroom. He tenderly laid her on her bed, covering her body with a giant blanket.

Sitting beside Rachel on the bed, Finn stroked her silky long hair which was spread all over her pillow. With each stroke he realized how much he cared for the girl lying before him. They had been through so much already, both the good and bad.

Finn sighed, planting one last kiss on her forehead before walking around to the other side of the bed. Finn hoped Rachel wouldn't mind sharing a bed with him. He wasn't sure what her policy would be with boys and beds. Hopefully, she would not oppose once she woke up.

He threw off his shirt, placing it on the back of a chair. Slowly moving into bed, Finn stayed away from Rachel in case she didn't want him that close to her. He didn't even bother covering himself with a blanket simply because he did not want to disturb Rachel. Sleep quickly overcame him as well; he didn't realize how tired he actually was up until now. Closing his eyes, Finn soon fell asleep, just as peaceful and calm as Rachel.

* * *

_She got close_, Finn thought, looking down at Rachel's body snuggled very close to his, _Real close_. Not that he didn't mind of course. But as much as he didn't want to, Finn had to get up. What would papa Berrys do if they saw Finn lying with their daughter like this? No, he didn't even want to imagine the outcome.

As he moved to get up, the motion must have woken Rachel up because he was met with brown eyes staring back at him.

"Hey, how was your night?" he asked softly, propping his body up with his elbow.

"Better because you were here," she said quietly, her palm still resting on his bare chest.

He couldn't help but smile. They stared into each other's eyes for the longest time, relishing the quiet and peacefulness. However, it was time for him to get home. His mother would probably be worried sick.

"I guess I'd better get going," he finally said after the long and meaningful silence. Finn slowly turned around and slipped out of bed.

Rachel stood up with him and grabbed a hold of his hand, ready to lead him downstairs. As they walked out of Rachel's room, Finn couldn't help but notice that the guest room's door was still open. Red bloodstains were still soaked in the carpet, chewed up strips of duct tape scattered around a wooden chair.

Finn shuddered, goose bumps rising up his arm, and glanced back at Rachel to make sure she didn't see it. He didn't want her remembering the incident as well. Luckily, she seemed to have missed the unguarded crime scene.

Rachel led Finn down the stairs and ushered him towards the door. Once she opened the front door, Finn stepped out and turned to face her. She stood in the doorway, her hand still entwined with his.

Finn slipped his hand out of her grasp in order to give a tiny wave good bye but froze when Rachel unexpectedly stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. He felt his world stop and she brushed her mouth against his; he physically had to restrain his tongue from breaking past her lips. She kissed him only for a brief second (oh, how he wished it was longer!) and pulled away, giving him a bittersweet sort of smile. Finn couldn't hide the grin on his face even if he tried.

"Thank you Finn," she said sweetly, touching his arm, "for everything."

"Anytime."

* * *

Seth poked his head from behind the newspaper he was pretending to read. He had been sitting in his parked car right across the street from Rachel's house for hours, waiting for some action, some commotion, some anything! Glancing back and forth from his paper and the house, Seth tried his best not to look too suspicious. At last, he spotted something in the corner of his eye.

Movement. Finally.

Seth peeked over and saw Finn leaving Rachel's home. What was he doing here? Seth knew all about Finn from what Jacob had told him: he was a stupid jock who couldn't tell his left from his right. But what was he doing leaving Rachel's house in the _morning_? He must have stayed over. Seth deduced that Finn had to have some feelings for Rachel if they spent the night together. He had to have.

Seth's thoughts were confirmed when he saw what happened next.

Finn and Rachel in a lip lock.

His eyes grew large. _Whoa_. _Didn't expect that to happen so soon_. _I guess she means a lot to him_, he thought, grinning evilly, _and he to her…hmmm. _Seth now knew exactly what he had to do.

* * *

_2 days later_

Rachel had just come back from school, her backpack slung over her shoulder, her hair whipping lightly in the breeze as she walked up her driveway. After an excruciatingly long bus ride home, she was glad to finally be home. Rachel opened her front door and upon entrance was immediately greeted by her dads.

"Hey, how was school today sweetheart?" Hiram gave his daughter a tight squeeze and planted a small kiss on her head.

"Great," she responded cheerily, "I'm know I aced my geometry test and Mr. Schue assigned me another solo, of course." She pointed up the stairs, "I'm going to start on my massive load of homework now so I can get my MySpace video up on time. God knows I have a lot to make up for my absence!" She stood on her tiptoes to give each of her dads a peck on the cheek and sprinted up towards her room.

Hours passed, Rachel still busy filling out her history homework, her hand growing increasingly tired by the minute. She had already taken a break by posting a video online and decided to continue finishing her endless amount of homework. After all, Rachel didn't ever want to be behind in school. What would happen to her more than perfect 4.2 GPA? In order to maintain her good grades that she held so dear, Rachel had a lot on her plate and she was determined to finally get caught up.

_Honk. Honk. Honk._

Rachel abruptly turned around, startled by the sudden blaring noise outside. _Must be another car alarm going off_, she thought, shrugging it off and resuming her homework.

_HONK. HONK._

The beeping became more apparent and irritating. She took a deep breath and tried to ignore the constant, seemingly unrelenting noise. This couldn't have been just a car alarm; there had to have been someone purposely pressing on that horn and breaking the silence. She frowned. Couldn't they see that she was trying to get some work done? Once the honking appeared to have stopped, Rachel let out a sigh of relief, glad to be able to focus on her studies.

_HONK!_

The noise came back with a vengeance, lasting even louder and longer than before. Rachel huffed, throwing down her pencil in frustration, and stomped down the stairs to give that person a good talking to. She ripped open the front door and gasped.

Rachel thought she must have been standing there gaping like a fish out of water, she was so surprised. There stood a shiny black limousine right in front of her house with a sign somehow standing up on the top.

_Rachel, I have a surprise for you. Love, Finn_

She read the poster at least ten times before everything hit home. She wanted so desperately to scream out loud but found it more appropriate to scream inwardly instead (seeing how it was around nighttime and she didn't want to wake her neighbors up). Without even thinking, Rachel automatically dashed over to the vehicle whereupon the driver rolled down the window.

With the window down, Rachel could only slightly make out the driver. Most of his facial features were hidden in the shadows and the black cap situated on his head didn't help her much either. She could tell that the driver had pretty long brown hair and once he opened his mouth to speak, she discovered there were braces glued to his teeth.

"So, you coming in?" His voice was gruff yet Rachel couldn't help but feel that the driver was rather young.

"Yeah sure, just let me do something first," Rachel replied hastily before running back into her house. She ran as fast as she could to the nearest bathroom to make herself look presentable. Smoothing out her high waisted, navy blue pleated skirt, Rachel frantically looked through the drawers prior to slapping a matching headband on her head. She tried her best to straighten out her plain white dress shirt but abandoned her efforts once she knew that she was wasting way too much time. Hopefully Finn wouldn't really care. Taking one last glance in the mirror, she hurried out of the bathroom and shouted an "I'll be back soon! Don't worry!" to her dads before running out to the limousine. The door was already open and waiting for her, the driver still in his seat.

She climbed into the back seat, expecting to see Finn but instead saw no one. Rachel shut the door and knocked on the glass separating the front compartment where the driver was sitting from the back. The glass slowly came down and Rachel asked, confused, "Where's Finn?"

"He's waiting for you at the special location."

"Oh, okay, thanks," she said as the glass quickly rolled back up. She was on her way to meet Finn! Joy blossomed within her; she couldn't wait to see what Finn had planned for her. This was such a nice surprise! Rachel never knew Finn could be such a romantic and yet he somehow managed to pull it off! She giggled with glee, leaning her head on the back of the seat, smiling as wide as the Cheshire cat.

She was ecstatic.

She was so ecstatic that she didn't even notice the car doors lock suddenly, even before the car started cruising down the road.

* * *

**Ahhhh…dun dun dunnnn! Hey, I didn't promise you happy endings for every chapter. The cliffies return xD I hope the flashback wasn't too hard to read...I wasn't sure how to structure it.**

**So, please tell me what you think! I am leaving for a very long vacation soon and I won't be able to post during my trip –cries–. I know, it's killing me! No internet connection means no updates so if I'm fortunate enough to get a hold of a computer during my vacation, I'll try my hardest to submit another chapter.**

**I'm thinking about getting another chapter up before I leave so please review in order for me to post it :) The ****more reviews****, the ****sooner I will post**** it before vacation time! Thanks!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Seriously? Over 150 reviews? You guys are the best ever! Thanks so much :)**

**Disclaimer: We've already covered that Glee isn't mine. Moving on to the chapter! **

Chapter 13

* * *

Minutes passed slowly, Rachel growing drowsier by the minute. Could Finn have picked a more remote location? She glanced out her window, seeing wide open acres and clusters of trees whiz by as the limo sped forward. The only thing keeping her awake at this point was the idea of seeing Finn again. What did he have planned for her? What kind of surprise did he have waiting? Her heart was practically bursting in delight as she replayed the sign's words in her head. _Love, Finn. Love. _Did he love her? Or was she reading too deep into the message? Rachel sighed, leaning back, daydreaming of the amazing night she and Finn would spend..._together_.

As the limo slowly skidded to a stop, Rachel sprang up and tried to peer out of her window. The driver walked out and opened the door for her, helping Rachel step out of the vehicle.

Rachel looked around, turning her head in several directions to examine her surroundings. Despite the darkness, Rachel could tell that she was at Lima's nature reserve. She had been here so many times as a kid that she knew this place like the back of her hand. Her dads had taken her there ever since she could walk and they often pointed out all of nature's wonders. Great, tall pines and majestic oak trees forested the area. A plethora of flower species ranging from Rachel's favorite orchids to the reddest of red roses to the purest white lilies were scattered around the park. There was even a raging river nearby with a wooden bridge connecting the two banks where visitors could come and enjoy the view. Rachel had a lot of great memories at this place.

Feeling a tug on her arm, Rachel realized that the driver was trying to tell her something.

"Follow me," he muttered harshly and Rachel willingly obliged, tagging along by his side. Only a few streetlights provided a source of illumination on the dark paved road, the rest was all black from the night sky. Rachel felt a chill in the air, wishing she had brought a jacket along. _Maybe Finn will keep me warm_, she thought optimistically, thinking back to the time when Finn had come over to her house. The driver led Rachel towards a rocky gravel path, trees surrounding both sides, almost as if they were about to enter a thick dense jungle. She trotted in her chauffeur's shadow, stumbling on random twigs and bushes that had grown over the stony road. _What in the world was Finn thinking when he chose this place? _Rachel wondered as she tripped over a rather large log blocking the path.

After a few silent minutes of just following the driver (not to mention almost falling over more than a couple times), Rachel piped up, "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise. Did you not read the sign?" he spat out irritated.

_Rude much? s_he thought, raising her eyebrows, but paid no further attention to the driver. She was going to see Finn and that was all that mattered.

* * *

A little while later, Rachel found herself walking on top of the wooden bridge, crossing the wide river below. The waves crashed down angrily, battering the banks, spewing white foam up in the air. The harsh wind all of a sudden picked up speed, the driver smiling. It was almost too perfect. The fierce current surged downstream, sweeping up and carrying everything in its sight.

Rachel nearly bumped into the driver when he stopped abruptly in his tracks.

She furrowed her brow and tapped her chauffeur on the shoulder, "Excuse me. Why did we stop?"

The driver spun around, a maniacal laugh escaping his lips, sending chills down Rachel's spine. Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

She screamed at him in dread, slowly backing away, "Where's Finn?"

"Finn isn't here you bitch."

In one swift movement, Seth lunged at her, grasping Rachel's arms in his hands. Immediately sensing that she was in danger, Rachel struggled to get out of his death grip, desperately trying with all of her might to wriggle and squirm her way out. She managed to snake one arm free, her mind shouting in triumph, but her victory was short lived as Seth slapped her hard across the cheek. Rachel felt her cheek sting and instinctively raised her hand to touch it.

That's when Seth made his move. When Rachel was distracted for that split second, he shoved her against the railing of the bridge so that half of her upper body was hanging dangerously over the edge. Then with a great deal of strength, he lifted Rachel very slightly off the ground but slightly enough so that she was starting to lose her balance. Balling his free hand in a fist, Seth whacked Rachel right in the chest, sending her falling over the bridge and plunging into the violent river below.

Seth brushed his hands together, smirking. That would do it. There were no cameras here. He was home free! And with that Seth stealthily left the scene, jumping back into the limo, without one ounce of guilt in his whole body. Jacob would surely be proud of him now. Seth felt rather content with his job well done, chuckling as he drove away. _Hey, _he thought,_ that wasn't too bad after all…_

Meanwhile, Rachel pierced the surface of the water, surprised at how deep the river actually was. Flailing her arms didn't help much as she plummeted deeper into the freezing dark water. The strong current suddenly advanced, powerful waves crashing over her, drowning her with every strike. Her face managed to break the surface and she took a deep breath only to be swept away under the water once more. Blackness clouded her vision; there was no light to guide her, no one to save her. She was alone, battling a river that had no intention of slowing down any time soon. The current thrashed, throwing Rachel around like a rag doll, pummeling her in every direction. She propelled her body forward again and snagged a breath of fresh air but was almost instantly submerged back under the water, left to fight the brutal waves washing over her. She heard the thundering rush of water over her ears, and panicked, jerking her arms and legs in a frenzy. Struggling to hold her breath, Rachel knew she _had_ to protect that precious reserve of oxygen in her mouth at whatever cost.

_WHAM._

She felt her knee give way as it slammed into a boulder, gasping as water poured into her mouth. She cried out in pure anguish, bubbles escaping her lips. Her head rose from the surface as she violently coughed up water and tried to force air down her lungs. But the unrelenting river did not hesitate to pull her back under, this time the current picking up speed. She tried to shout, to cry for help but only a strangled, muffled wheeze seemed to exit her lips.

A giant wave towered over Rachel, sending her flying downstream at a rapid rate. She took a harsh blow to the side as her hip made contact with another large rock. Screaming in pain, Rachel quickly snatched a short breath before being pounded back under the surface. She tried to paddle her way to shore, furiously kicking her feet and swinging her arms but she could barely distinguish which way the banks were. Rachel felt like she had been thrown into a washing machine set on spin, endlessly rotating and being hammered around and around, again and again. She felt lost and confused, unsure of which direction led where. Struggling to fight the current, Rachel reached her arms out hoping to feel land at her fingertips, but instead found herself trapped in a boundless sea of water. There was no way out.

The bitter cold of the water froze her clothes to her skin, her mind paralyzed, her body completely numb. After fighting for so long, Rachel contemplated giving up for a short-lived moment; it would be so much easier to simply succumb to the power of the river...

Rachel rose, attempting to grab another breath of air, but instead felt her head smack against a rock that had been veiled by the darkness. Disoriented and confused, she saw a sudden burst of color, leaving as quickly as it came, excruciating pain exploding from her temple. The current continued to drag Rachel's limp form down, sweeping her away as if she was just another rotting log.

Engulfed by the river, Rachel tried to tell herself not to breathe but the need grew stronger, rising up from within her. She willed herself to suppress her need for oxygen, giving one last metahuman effort to try to save her life.

But as the demand for air pinched at her chest and then her throat, Rachel found herself involuntarily opening her mouth and nose. Cold water rushed in, flooding her lungs and entering her nostrils. A pain beyond anything Rachel had ever experienced burst inside her, limiting her from doing anything. Her hands reached for her throat, grasping it in a futile attempt to remove the water she had just swallowed.

Rachel felt her body fade into a comatose state, exhaustion and fatigue taking over. She arched her back and floated along, letting the icy river take over. After tackling it for so long, she couldn't fight any longer, she couldn't beat the current. Her brain sent signals to her body, telling it to shut down.

And so she did.

And she gave in to the river.

* * *

**I'm really sorry to leave you with 1) a short chapter and 2) that cliffy for three weeks but I promise promise promise the next chapter will be worth the wait. I hope you liked this chapter. As wrong as this sounds, I really enjoyed writing it xD I know, back away now while you still can... but ****this won't turn out to be a "torture Rachel as much as you can" story because there's only so much a girl can take! (I hope it doesn't seem like it is... :/)**

**Thanks for sticking with this story! The ride isn't over yet folks :) Review if you liked/didn't like or if you want to read more please! **

**Ciao and love to all,**

**Saphizz **


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry, short chapter but I thought you needed an update before you forgot about this story all together! Yes, I finally found a laptop and I have internet connection, woohoo! But technically I'm still on vacation, hence why I haven't posted sooner. Sorry. Forgive me? Please?**

**For those following "Rose Bullets": I'm working on it and I will update as soon as I can!**

**Disclaimer: Sometimes I daydream that I'm Ryan Murphy…**

Chapter 14

* * *

Rachel felt herself being dragged against a bumpy gravel road, her feet lagging in front of her. Despite the fact that her head was pounding, Rachel was almost certain she felt someone holding her by the arms, hauling her body away from the deadly water.

_Is this heaven?_ She wondered, seeing only darkness, _It's definitely not what I expected. I thought there would be grassy green meadows, a beautiful waterfall, give or take a couple of birds, maybe even a harp…anything but this._

Rachel was abruptly taken out of her muse when she was struck hard right in the chest. At first she didn't think much of it but when she took another blow to the same area, Rachel felt gallons of water suddenly springing out of her mouth like a geyser. She coughed violently, choking on the water generously exiting her lungs in free flowing currents. As another whack was aimed at her chest, Rachel groaned in pain, the water spilling out of her mouth seemingly endless.

Finally the pain seemed to have subsided some, a warmth spreading through her body for once. Her lungs had spurted out their fill of water and the hits to her chest stopped immediately, granting Rachel a much needed respite. Rachel blinked her eyes and hesitantly tried to open them, afraid that instead of seeing white, puffy clouds and the glowing, golden gates of heaven, she would gaze upon her own version of hell where Broadway was canceled forever and Beiber fever spread to endemic proportions.

But instead she only saw a bright light, blinding her from seeing anything. Then, through her waterlogged ears, she could make out a faint voice in the distance.

"Hello? Can you hear me?"

The voice sounded frantic as she felt someone tapping her on the shoulder as if he was trying to wake her up.

"Are you okay?"

The tapping became more incessant, turning into a rougher form of shaking instead. Rachel wished she could be left alone, fatigue washing over her. All she wanted to do now was sleep. Rachel reached a hand up to her head to swat away at whatever was continually prodding her. She mumbled something incoherently, leading to another round of shaking and worried questioning.

"Yeah," she choked out weakly, finally fed up, "Just let me sleep."

But the voice didn't seem to have listened to a word she just said, further irritating a dazed Rachel. "Here, sit up."

Rachel felt herself being dragged up into a sitting position, leaning against the cool stone wall that supported the bridge and winded down the river. She tried blinking her eyes a couple more times, rubbing the water droplets off of her face. Finally she found the strength to lift her eyelids only to see a man in his late forties staring back at her, concern creasing the wrinkles beginning to form on his forehead. He had light brown hair that was turning white at the roots and a large mustache Rachel had only seen on cowboys in old western films. The man wore old worn out jeans that he must have squeezed himself into and a red plaid shirt, both damp from rescuing Rachel from the raging river.

"What's your name darling?" he asked at her, sitting on his knees so he could see her eye to eye.

"R-Rachel," she managed to spit out, her throat still aching from the icy salt water that had rubbed it raw.

"Rachel, I think we need to get you to a hospital to get you checked up, okay?"

Rachel froze. The last thing she wanted was to end up in the hospital yet again, causing her fathers to lose more sleep over her. "No, no," she whispered hoarsely, "No hospitals."

She pondered for a mere second, her head drooping onto her shoulder, before saying slowly and tiredly, "I want to go to Finn's."

"Who's Finn?" the man asked, tapping her cheek to keep her from falling asleep, "Where does he live?"

"2301 Coventry Lane," she murmured quietly, rapidly dozing off, too tired to even begin to describe her relationship with Finn. Rachel had figured a long time ago that it would be best to memorize all of the Glee clubbers' addresses in case of an emergency. After all, they were her friends and everyone memorized their friends' addresses right? At least, that's how she justified it.

"Hmm, I think I know where that is," the man stated, respecting Rachel's wishes, "All right, let's get going then."

The man lifted her in his arms, seeing how Rachel was way too drained to even move. He carried her all the way to his car, laying her down on the backseat. As he fumbled with her seatbelt (since putting a seatbelt on someone who was lying down wasn't an easy feat), Rachel couldn't stop her curiosity from seeping out, despite her drowsiness, and asked, "Sir, how did you find me?"

The man chuckled heartily before responding, "The only reason I was out tonight was because my wife…well, let's just say she's a great cook." He rubbed his pot belly, a roll of fat practically oozing out of the top of his pants. "She told me I needed some exercise and I thought what better place than the reserve? I figured the river would be the perfect place to start and that's when I saw you trying to save yourself. I'm just glad I made it there in time."

By this time, Rachel was securely buckled in and the man had already climbed into the front seat. It was a rather quiet ride over to Finn's house because Rachel had fallen into a deep slumber, lulled to sleep by the rocking motion of the car.

Finally spotting the number 2301 on the mailbox in front of a house, the man pulled up onto the driveway and parked his car on the slant. Cobblestones lined the path towards the door of the quaint yet cozy home, flowers neatly planted in the dark soil and the lawn freshly mowed. He made his way out of his car and towards the front door of the residence, ringing the doorbell and knocking on the door at the same time.

Despite being outside, the man could hear a voice coming from inside yell, "Finn, honey, could you get that?"

After a few seconds, Finn opened the door and towered over the five foot four man standing in his midst.

_Who the hell is this dude?_

Finn cocked his head to the right, wondering if looking at the man at any other angle would jog his memory as to who this guy was. No such luck. He stared deep into the man's brown eyes and furrowed his eyebrows, concentrating so hard on identifying the guy that his tongue was sticking out of his mouth at a weird angle. Finn tried tilting his head to the other side, his mind shouting in triumph when he believed that this guy _must_ have been his great uncle twice removed. The family resemblance was visible…once Finn looked at the man at precisely a one hundred and twenty four degree angle…with one eye closed.

Before Finn could even speak, the man asked hurriedly, "Are you Finn?"

Now if Finn hadn't been confused before, he was more than baffled now. But he brushed away his uncertainty after figuring that his great uncle must have known who he was...

"Y-yeah," he stammered, "And you are…?"

"Jim," the man replied quickly, "Do you know a girl named Rachel?"

Finn combed through his brain, trying to determine whether he knew any family members named Jim. But then he heard the guy mention Rachel and confusion settled in once more. This guy couldn't have known about his relationship with Rachel, no one really knew...

So how did this man know everything about him? Finn was starting to panic, his eyes dashing back inside his house, and tried to guess how long it would take to dial 911. But then Jim spoke again, assuming that Finn's silence meant an affirmative to his question, "She's in the backseat. Hurry."

Finn suddenly bolted out the door, following the stranger to his car. If he had Rachel, something had to be wrong. His mind was racing with questions but most of all, fear. And confusion. Lots and lots of confusion. Bucket loads.

Finn's legs easily overtook Jim's and upon arriving at the backseat of the car, he ripped open the door to reveal Rachel, snoring ever so slightly, still fast asleep. She was lying down on her side, her hands pressed palm to palm and stuffed under her head like a young child. Finn reached over and gently unbuckled Rachel from the backseat, trying his hardest not to wake her up by moving as little and slowly as possible.

Finally untangling her from her seatbelt, Finn lifted Rachel bridle style out of the car, carrying her effortlessly in his arms. He turned around, pressing Rachel's body tightly to his chest, and facing Jim, asked, "Mind telling me what happened?"

Jim explained the story in more than full detail, Finn cringing and wincing as the man recounted the desperate situation Rachel had been in. Finn didn't even realize that he had been squeezing Rachel closer to him as Jim retold the tale. After Jim had finished illustrating the events that had led up to being on the Hudsons' driveway, Finn stood there dumbfounded, his voice not wanting to cooperate with what his brain was telling him to say.

But he somehow found the power to speak. "H-how in the world did she end up in the frickin' river in the first place!" Finn asked alarmed, his eyes not leaving Rachel's face.

"I'm not entirely sure on that part son," Jim spoke slowly, "Maybe she..." He nudged his head towards Rachel. "Maybe she can tell you herself. Only she knows."

Finn looked down at Rachel, a bittersweet smile on his lips. Here he was with Rachel, someone who made him feel special, feel something _great_, but the circumstances in which Rachel was brought here, well, that was the downfall.

Glancing up at Jim, Finn sincerely said, "Thanks."

"It's all I could do," Jim stated, "Call me if you ever need me. Here's my number."

After Jim scribbled down his telephone number on a napkin with pen, he handed it to Finn who tucked the napkin into his shirt pocket. Jim made his way into the front seat of his car, rolling down the windows to impart one last wish to Finn.

"Keep her safe, son."

"I will," Finn said, mostly to himself, "I will."

* * *

**Coming up next chapter: Finchel comfort :D So I'm really sad that this fanfic is almost over! I have one more action scene planned and one sweet ending with a song. Super shout out to whoever is psychic and can guess the song I'm talking about haha. **

**Hmm, after three weeks, I get my greatest number of reviews ever for one chapter! Thanks so much. Maybe I should wait three weeks between every chapter from now on…?**

**Just kidding! I would never do that to you guys. :)**

**So review because I said just kidding? xD And because I didn't leave you with a cliffhanger?**


	15. Chapter 15

**Before you start reading, let me say that you all continue to amaze me. It's because of ****your**** support and dedication that I enjoy posting my stories instead of keeping them for my own viewing. So thank you so very very much. And thanks for not minding my extremely long author's notes :)**

**On another topic, think we can make it to 200 reviews with this chapter? I'd be absolutely positively over the moon and back! You know what? I ****will**** write a real fluffy one shot if 200 is met, but if we can get it to 210 (or more), I'll personally dedicate the one shot to everyone who reviews this chapter. :) Trust me, it will be VERY Finchel-ly and hopefully worth reviewing for! Just my tiny way of saying thanks. **

**Disclaimer: Glee is still not mine. Bummer.**

Chapter 15

* * *

"Oh honey," Carole cooed from above Rachel's slumbering figure, "You poor thing."

"Moooooom," Finn groaned in embarrassment, "Can't you give us a few seconds _alone_?" The last word was emphasized strongly and held out to stress the meaning.

"Oh Finn, it's not like she can hear us," she scoffed, "Very well, I'll go call her dads and tell them she's all right."

A shuffling of feet slowly skittered away as Finn stared back at Rachel's slumbering figure sprawled on his couch. Touching her head with his palm, he rubbed his thumb caressingly over her forehead, giving her a small smile as he did so. He leaned over to place a little peck on her forehead, loving the touch of his lips on her olive skin. Slowly rising to his feet, Finn was beginning to walk away so Rachel could sleep in peace but he immediately froze when he heard a moan escape Rachel's lips.

"Rachel?" he asked timidly, wondering if it was just his imagination or if he really did hear her say something.

Rachel unconsciously raised her arm and flung it over her head, tossing and turning in her sleep. She whimpered in her sleep, "Finnnnnn."

Finn stopped for a second, and upon realizing that Rachel had called out to him in her sleep, automatically bent down closer to her. Rachel writhed uncontrollably on the small couch, her movements growing more frantic and jagged as the seconds passed.

"No, no, please don't," she cried out softly, her head snapping back and forth from side to side, her trembling voice laced with fear.

Then it all hit Finn, as clear as day. She was having a nightmare. And an awfully dark one by the looks of things. Tightly grabbing her by the shoulders, Finn shook Rachel firmly, attempting to break her connection to her dream. But snapping her out of her unconscious state proved more difficult than Finn thought.

"No! I don't want to—let go of me!" she protested again, this time louder than before. Taking decisive action, Finn began to handle Rachel a little bit more roughly, now seizing her upper arms and shaking them as well.

Rachel awoke with a loud gasp as she sprang up into a sitting position, panting heavily, her panic clearly evident in her owl wide eyes. Beads of cool sweat covered her forehead and goosebumps rose on her usually smooth skin. Even though she was no longer asleep, Finn didn't relinquish his tense grip on her arms but instead, squeezed them even tighter to get her attention.

"Rachel!" he shouted, "Rachel, you're okay."

Rachel frantically turned her head to face the voice yelling her name. Once she saw that it was Finn, she instantly thrust her body towards his, colliding with his chest, and threw her arms around his neck, squeezing him so hard that he was finding it difficult to breathe.

"It's all right," he comforted, "You're all right."

Finn absentmindedly ran his fingers through her damp hair as Rachel snuggled her head into the crook of his neck, still breathing heavily. Finn could feel the water from her clothes slowly permeating through his shirt, completely dampening it, but he didn't care one bit. Her clammy skin was cool to the touch so Finn enveloped Rachel in an even more crushing embrace in hopes of bringing her body temperature up.

Soon Rachel's heart began to return to its normal pace and she stopped heaving in short, breathy gasps, feeling more at ease in Finn's arms. It just felt so _right_ as she breathed in his scent and relished the moment of having his body so close to hers. She let out a relief filled "Mmmm" with her eyes closed and her head lying sideways on Finn's shoulder.

Finn, likewise, cherished the golden moment of having Rachel snuggling in his hold. But he knew something was wrong.

And so did Rachel. But as much as she wanted to deny it, she knew that her life was going to take a turn for the worse. She knew that everything wouldn't be the same anymore. She knew that there was someone out there who wanted her _dead _for reasons she could not explain. It was all too much to absorb.

Feeling rather uneasy, Rachel apprehensively parted away from the hug. But once she distanced herself from Finn, however, she suddenly realized how dreadfully _cold_ she was. Even with Finn radiating warmth a mere five inches from her, she still felt the sting of the bitter cold river crawling up her arms, prickling like tiny little needles jabbing at her flesh.

Finn must have realized that she wanted to dry off as he immediately stood up without a word and, smiling, offered his hand towards Rachel. She graciously accepted it, the corners of her mouth tugging into a small grin. Walking in silence with their hands tightly interlocked, Finn guided Rachel to the bathroom on the first floor. She murmured a tiny "thanks" before shutting the door behind her, Finn waiting outside in the hallway.

Finally by herself with no one there to distract her, Rachel came to the unexpected realization that her body ached terribly. She carefully removed her clothing, starting with her shirt, and gasped when she saw the large purple bruise covering her ribs. She automatically clutched at her wound, wincing in pain as she applied the softest of pressure onto it. Now, slowly moving her hands around her body, Rachel discovered numerous bruises covering her arms and back as well as little cuts here and there. She hadn't felt their presence before but once she stared back at the many abrasions on her skin, it all became so much more painful. Nevertheless, in typical Rachel Berry manner, she brushed off any dull pain she was experiencing, not wanting to seem weak by any means. Staring back at her reflection in the mirror, Rachel was alarmed to see a gaunt, fatigued version of who she once was. And, even though she was desperately trying to revert to her usual perky self, something was dying within her.

Her spirit.

Meanwhile outside of the room, Finn paced back and forth down the hallway, his hands holding his head. He had so many questions running through his brain but he bit back the temptation to shout them out through the crack under the door. He knew Rachel was going through a lot and he understood her fragile state. Rachel would have denied it right in front of him but over the past couple of days, Finn knew she was _human_. She was just as vulnerable as anyone. And she deserved someone there to comfort her during her more difficult times.

Finn heard the rushing of water come from inside the bathroom, deducing that Rachel must have gotten into the shower to warm up a bit. She had looked so pale and so broken before. And, though he'd never admit it to anyone, her nightmare fit scared the living daylights out of him. He cared about her too much to let anything terrible happen to her but he failed miserably. Seeing that terrified look on her face killed him inside. He couldn't stand knowing that Rachel Berry, the confident and proud star to be, looked so _afraid_, so desperate for a safety net to catch her as she fell. Finn re-evaluated his role in Rachel's life, pondering if _he_ could be that safety net, that source of comfort and security. He knew he cared about her deeply and respected her for who she was—did that make him her boyfriend? Or was it too soon for something as trivial as titles? But then again, he _did_ kiss her. And inside, he felt something for her. Did that mean they were officially a couple?

Finn's attention was suddenly diverted when Rachel meekly stepped out of the bathroom—wearing one of Finn's old t-shirts and a pair of his sweats so large for her petite body that it was folded at least six times around her waist in order for it to fit snuggly around her form without falling down. But she looked as beautiful as ever. Her hair was messily tied up into a bun with loose strands tucked sloppily behind her ears.

"Lookin' good Rachel," he said, trying to get a smile from the girl now walking towards him.

"I, uh, hope you don't mind," she said in a quiet voice, "It was the only thing I could find…" She trailed off softly.

"No, not at all. In fact, I think this new look suits you," he smiled again, but with barely a reaction from Rachel. It was worse than he thought.

"Come here." Finn grabbed Rachel's hand and dragged her into his room right across the hall. The western movie inspired wallpaper furnished his tiny alcove of a bedroom as football related trinkets lay scattered on top of cabinets and tables. There he sat Rachel on his blue and white plaid bedspread while he plopped down right beside her.

"Rachel," Finn started, making sure he had complete eye contact with her, "You know you can tell me anything."

"I know," she murmured quiety.

"Do you trust me?"

"What?" Rachel asked, taken aback. Where did that question come from?

"Do you trust me?" Finn pressed again.

"I…I suppose I do," she said.

"Well, I won't judge you. If you ever want to talk." Finn hesitated, unsure how to bring up the question squirming on the tip of his tongue, but decided to ask tentatively, "Um, Rach?"

Rachel looked at him warily, almost as if she knew what he was going to say.

"Rachel, c-can you, uh, do you remember h-how-how—"

"You want to know what happened before I took a nosedive into the river," she stated glumly yet plainly, knowing that Finn must have been wondering about it the moment she arrived.

"Um, yeah," was all he could utter.

Rachel took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a lasting second, before starting her story. "I was so naïve and dumb," she criticized herself, disapproving of her grave mistakes. "I believed his lies."

"Whose lies?" Finn asked concerned as he placed a comforting hand on Rachel's wrist, egging her to continue.

"I'm really not sure Finn, I swear. He pulled up to my house and said he was going to drive me to you. I was so excited; I thought it was going to be our first real date." With her head bent down, she chuckled softly at her stupidity and wishful thinking, bitterness seeping through her voice.

"But he tricked me. And I fell for it. I've never felt more stupid before in my life. "

She turned to Finn, tears beginning to well up in her eyes, "How could I have been such an _idiot_!"

"You're not an idiot, Rach—"

"Why did I follow him!"

"You didn't do anything wron—"

"I shouldn't have trusted him!"

"No Rachel—"

"I was so stupid and moronic and—"

"RACHEL!" Finn shouted above her five octave higher voice which had been steadily increasing, "Would you please let me finish?"

Rachel finally grew quiet, but her tears were ready to spill at any second, acting as a warning to Finn that he didn't have much time until she officially broke down.

"Rachel," he repeated, taking both of her hands in his, "You're not dumb or stupid or moronimous…whatever you just said. You're amazing. You have an incredible talent, and people who love you. Hell, if you're dumb, what does that make me?" Finn lifted Rachel's chin so that they were sitting face to face, their eyes meeting each other's gaze.

"Seriously Rachel, you're too awesome to be angry at yourself for something you did in the past. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. You can overcome this. You're, like, the strongest person I know. Nothing stops Rachel Berry right?"

Rachel paused for a second, letting out a small, soft laugh.

"Right, Finn," she said as she gave him a small peck on the cheek. It was simple and sweet, everything that Finn could ever ask for and more.

"Thanks for reminding me."

* * *

**Okay, I know I'm such a hypocrite for making you all wait so much longer than three weeks but I apologize. Yeah, school sucks. But hey, at least I updated? :p I know you've heard that excuse more than once! Seriously, I went to bed at four in the morning one day. So teachers? That's a clue that we have way too much homework! I could go into a huge rant about this but I'll spare you the time. ;)**

**So review instead? :3 For the ****one shot**** or just to make me feel good even with a large load of homework? ;)**

**Oh, and since I feel like shouting, THE PREMIERE IS IN TWO DAYS! :D**


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